Publications

2007

• Spectroscopie d'absorption ultra-rapide de rayonnement X pour l'étude de la matière en régime transitoire.
  
  • Lecherbourg Ludovic
  , 2007. Dans ce mémoire, j'étudie la physique des milieux denses, plasmas ou solides, en utilisant la spectroscopie d'absorption de rayonnement X. Au moyen de sources produites par interaction laser-matière, nous avons mesuré les spectres d'absorption de plasmas d'aluminium et brome, ainsi que ceux du dioxyde de vanadium (VO2). Les mesures des co-efficients d'absorption permettent de sonder la matière dense et d'étudier ses propriétés. Les expériences sont réalisées suivant le même principe : elles utilisent un schéma expérimental identique, appelé pompe-sonde. Lorsque que la matière est dense, l'absorption d'un atome est modifiée par le milieu environnant. Dans un plasma, ce sont principalement les transitions lié-lié qui sont influencées : les profils des raies spectrales sont modifiés. Dans un solide, les positions des atomes voisins de l'atome absorbeur modifient la structure des seuils d'absorption (transition lié-libre). L'étude de cette structure permet de mesurer les paramètres du matériau, et donne des informations comme l'état des bandes électroniques ou encore les distances interatomiques. Les expériences réalisées au LULI ont permis de sonder des plasmas dans le régime mal connu de la Warm Dense Matter. Un des paramètres clés, est que le plasma est caractérisé de manière indépendante (diagnostic FDI). Cela permet une meilleure comparaison de l'absorption mesurée avec un calcul réalisé avec le modèle numérique OPA-S. Les expériences réalisées à l'INRS ont mené à la réalisation d'un système expérimental ayant les caractéristiques permettant l'étude de la dynamique de solides présentant des transitions de phase ultra- rapide. Pour cela, nous avons utilisé le dioxyde de vanadium comme système modèle permettant de tester la faisabilité de la méthode.
• X-Ray spectroscopie characterization of hot and dense plasmas created by intense lasers.
  
  • Kontogiannopoulos Nikolaos
  , 2007. In this work we performed experiments of emission and absorption spectroscopy of laser produced plasmas, to provide well characterized spectral data which permit to benchmark atomic physics codes. More precisely, we produced xenon and krypton plasmas in NLTE conditions and studied their emission spectra. In a second experiment, we characterized the absorption spectra of zinc sulfide and aluminium plasmas in LTE conditions.
• Time variation of the powerline channel simultaneously with impulsive noise
  
  • Avril Gautier
  • Gauthier F.
  • Moulin F.
  • Zeddam Ahmed
  • Nouvel Fabienne
  , 2007, pp.433-436.
• Phase Properties of Laser High-Order Harmonics Generated on Plasma Mirrors
  
  • Quéré F
  • Thaury Cédric
  • Geindre J-P
  • Bonnaud G
  • Monot P
  • Martin Ph
  Physical Review Letters, American Physical Society, 2007, 100, pp.095004. As a high-intensity laser-pulse reflects on a plasma mirror, high-order harmonics of the incident frequency can be generated in the reflected beam. We present a numerical study of the phase properties of these individual harmonics, and demonstrate experimentally that they can be coherently controlled through the phase of the driving laser field. The harmonic intrinsic phase, resulting from the generation process, is directly related to the coherent sub-laser-cycle dynamics of plasma electrons, and thus constitutes a new experimental probe of these dynamics. (10.1103/PhysRevLett.100.095004)
  DOI : 10.1103/PhysRevLett.100.095004
• Link between laboratory and astrophysical radiative shocks
  
  • Michaut Claire
  • Falize Emeric
  • Cavet Cécile
  • Bouquet Serge
  • Koenig M.
  • Vinci Tommaso
  • Loupias B.
  , 2008, 112, pp.2013. This work provides analytical solutions describing the post-shock structure of radiative shocks growing in astrophysics and in laboratory. The equations including a cooling function Lambda vprop <SUP>epsilon</SUP> rho<SUP>zeta</SUP> x<SUP>theta</SUP> are solved for any values of the exponents epsilon, zeta and theta. This modeling is appropriate to astrophysics as the observed radiative shocks arise in optically thin media. In contrast, in laboratory, radiative shocks performed using high-power lasers present a radiative precursor because the plasma is more or less optically thick. We study the post-shock region in the laboratory case and compare with astrophysical shock structure. In addition, we attempt to use the same equations to describe the radiative precursor, but the cooling function is slightly modified. In future experiments we will probe the PSR using X-ray diagnostics. These new experimental results will allow to validate our astrophysical numerical codes. (10.1088/1742-6596/112/4/042013)
  DOI : 10.1088/1742-6596/112/4/042013
• Direct Observation of Strong Ion Coupling in Laser-Driven Shock-Compressed Targets
  
  • Ravasio A.
  • Gregori G.
  • Benuzzi-Mounaix A.
  • Daligault J.
  • Delserieys Alice
  • Faenov A. Ya.
  • Loupias B.
  • Ozaki N.
  • Rabec Le Gloahec M.
  • Pikuz T.
  • Riley D.
  • Koenig M.
  Physical Review Letters, American Physical Society, 2007, 99 (13). (10.1103/PhysRevLett.99.135006)
  DOI : 10.1103/PhysRevLett.99.135006
• Analysis of the X-ray and time-resolved XUV emission of laser produced Xe and Kr plasmas
  
  • Bastiani-Ceccotti S.
  • Kontogiannopoulos N.
  • Marquès Jean-Raphaël
  • Tzortzakis S.
  • Lecherbourg L.
  • Thais F.
  • Matsushima I.
  • Peyrusse O.
  • Chenais-Popovics C.
  High Energy Density Physics, Elsevier, 2007, 3 (1-2), pp.20-27. (10.1016/j.hedp.2007.01.004)
  DOI : 10.1016/j.hedp.2007.01.004
• Plasma mirrors for ultrahigh-intensity optics
  
  • Thaury Cédric
  • Quéré F.
  • Geindre J.-P.
  • Levy A.
  • Ceccotti T.
  • Monot P.
  • Bougeard M.
  • Réau F.
  • D’oliveira P.
  • Audebert P.
  • Marjoribanks R.
  • Martin Ph.
  Nature Physics, Nature Publishing Group [2005-....], 2007, 3 (6), pp.424-429. (10.1038/nphys595)
  DOI : 10.1038/nphys595
• Characterization of time variation of the powerline channel frequency response simultaneously with impulsive noise
  
  • Avril Gautier
  • Gauthier F.
  • Moulin F.
  • Zeddam Ahmed
  • Nouvel Fabienne
  , 2007, pp.329-334.
• Radiative Shocks And Plasma Jets As Laboratory Astrophysics Experiments
  
  • Koenig M.
  • Loupias B.
  • Vinci Tommaso
  • Ozaki Norimasa
  • Benuzzi-Mounaix Alessandra
  • Rabec Le Gloahec M.
  • Falize Emeric
  • Bouquet Serge
  • Michaut Claire
  • Herpe Georges
  • Baroso P.
  • Nazarov W.
  • Aglitskiy Y.
  • Faenov A. Ya.
  • Pikuz T.
  • Courtois C.
  • Woolsey N. C.
  • Gregory C. D.
  • Howe J.
  • Schiavi A.
  • Atzeni S.
  , 2007, 926, pp.110-119. Dedicated laboratory astrophysics experiments have been developed at LULI in the last few years. First, a high velocity (70 km/s) radiative shock has been generated in a xenon filled gas cell. We observed a clear radiative precursor, measure the shock temperature time evolution in the xenon. Results show the importance of 2D radiative losses. Second, we developed specific targets designs in order to generate high Mach number plasma jets. The two schemes tested are presented and discussed. (10.1063/1.2768841)
  DOI : 10.1063/1.2768841
• Etude théorique et expérimentale de l'architecture d'un laser à solide monocristallin ou céramique dopé ytterbium pour la génération d'impulsions de grande énergie à haute cadence.
  
  • Casagrande Olivier
  , 2007. Ces travaux de thèse concernent l'étude de systèmes laser dopés à l'ion ytterbium pour la génération d'impulsions de forte énergie et de haute puissance moyenne, dans la perspective d'un laser permettant d'envisager la production d'énergie par fusion par confinement inertiel. En ce qui concerne le choix d'une matrice hôte, nous avons établi une figure de mérite thermomécanique et montré que les grenats et surtout les sesquioxydes de terres rares apparaissent comme les matrices les plus adaptées à la haute puissance moyenne. Quant à l'architecture des amplificateurs, nous sommes arrivés à la conclusion que des amplificateurs à disques minces pompés longitudinalement et refroidis par la face arrière constituent une excellente solution pour permettre une bonne gestion des effets thermiques. La réalisation d'un modèle numérique d'amplificateur laser dopé à l'ytterbium nous à permis d'optimiser divers paramètres de l'architecture du laser et de comparer différentes matrices dopées à l'ytterbium. Il est alors apparu que les sesquioxydes de de terres rares dopés à l'ion ytterbium constituent d'excellents matériaux amplificateurs pour la réalisation de laser de haute puissance moyenne. Il a par ailleurs été montré que les basses températures constituent une solution séduisante pour améliorer à la fois les propriétés thermomécaniques des amplificateurs laser et les propriétés spectroscopiques de l'ion ytterbium. A l'aide d'une cavité laser cryogénique, en mode relaxé, nous avons vérifié expérimentalement que les performances énergétiques des sesquioxydes d! e terres rares dopés à l'ytterbium se voient améliorées de manière très significative aux basses températures.
• Nouveaux diagnostiques pour l'étude de la matière dense et chaude : application aux cibles comprimées par choc laser.
  
  • Ravasio Alessandra
  , 2007. Le travail de ma these est dedie au developpement de nouvelles techniques d'investigation de la matiere dense et chaude, aussi connue sous l'acronyme WDM (pour Warm Dense Matter en anglais). Ce regime se situe a la frontiere entre la physique de la matiere condense et la physique des plasmas. Il est characterise par des densites comprises entre 0.1 et 100 fois la densite du solide et des temperatures dans l'intervalle 0.1-100 eV. Notre connaissance du comportement de la matiere dans ce regime est peu precise bien que sa comprehension soit indispensable dans differents domaines de la physique. En particulier, la connaissance de la relation entre la pression, la densite et la temperature, qui definit l'equation d'etat (EOS) est un point clef dans des domaines aussi importants que la fusion par confinement inertiel (FCI), lgeophysique, l'astrophysique, et la planetologie.
• Réseaux de diffraction à multicouches diélectriques pour la compression d'impulsions petawatt par mosaïques de réseaux.
  
  • Cotel Arnaud
  , 2007. Les réseaux de diffraction pour la compression d'impulsions constituent actuellement un verrou technologique pour le développement des chaînes laser de puissance énergétiques dans le régime Petawatt. En effet, la tenue au flux laser et les dimensions des réseaux métalliques actuels sont limitées. C'est pourquoi, une nouvelle génération de réseaux de diffraction à multicouches diélectriques (MLD) a été développée. Ce travail d'étude et de caractérisation des réseaux MLD pour le laser Petawatt Pico2000 du LULI constitue la première partie de ma thèse. D'autre part, les réseaux de diffraction pour la compression d'impulsions Petawatt doivent avoir des dimensions de l'ordre du mètre, ce qui complique les procédés de fabrication et de caractérisation. Comme alternative! aux grands réseaux, le concept de la mise en phase de réseaux de diffraction a été étudié. Les différents résultats obtenus sur la mise en phase en lumière monochromatique par technique interférométrique sont exposés ainsi que la démonstration de la compression d'impulsions multi-terawatt par mosaïques de réseaux. Une étude du contrôle temporel des impulsions du laser Pico2000 a également été réalisée, portant sur la thématique du contraste temporel et sur la mise en forme spectrale des impulsions.
• Direct evidence of strongly inhomogeneous energy deposition in target heating with laser-produced ion beams
  
  • Brambrink E.
  • Schlegel T.
  • Malka G.
  • Amthor K. U.
  • Aléonard M. M.
  • Claverie G.
  • Gerbaux M.
  • Gobet F.
  • Hannachi F.
  • Méot V.
  • Morel Pierre
  • Nicolai P.
  • Scheurer J. N.
  • Tarisien M.
  • Tikhonchuk V.
  • Audebert P.
  Physical Review E : Statistical, Nonlinear, and Soft Matter Physics [2001-2015], American Physical Society, 2007, 75, pp.065401. We report on strong nonuniformities in target heating with intense, laser-produced proton beams. The observed inhomogeneity in energy deposition can strongly perturb equation of state EOS measurements with laser-accelerated ions which are planned in several laboratories. Interferometric measurements of the target expansion show different expansion velocities on the front and rear surfaces, indicating a strong difference in local temperature. The nonuniformity indicates at an additional heating mechanism, which seems to originate from electrons in the keV range. (10.1103/PhysRevE.75.065401)
  DOI : 10.1103/PhysRevE.75.065401
• Delay interferometric single-shot measurement of a petawatt-class laser longitudinal chromatism corrector
  
  • Rouyer C
  • Blanchot N
  • Neauport Jérôme
  • Sauteret C
  Optics Express, Optical Society of America - OSA Publishing, 2007, 15 (5), pp.2019-2032. In this paper we present a self-referenced interferometric single-shot measurement technique that we use to evaluate the longitudinal chromatism compensation made by a diffractive lens corrector. A diffractive lens with a delay of 1 ps is qualified for a 60 mm beam aperture. This corrector was implemented on the Alisé Nd:glass power chain. We qualify the corrector and the Alisé power chain chromatism, demonstrating the potential of this measuring principle as well as the interest of diffractive lenses to correct longitudinal chromatism of petawatt-class lasers.
• Supersonic-Jet Experiments Using a High-Energy Laser
  
  • Loupias B.
  • Koenig M.
  • Falize Emeric
  • Bouquet Serge
  • Ozaki Norimasa
  • Benuzzi-Mounaix Alessandra
  • Vinci Tommaso
  • Michaut Claire
  • Rabec Le Gloahec M.
  • Nazarov W.
  • Courtois C.
  • Aglitskiy Y.
  • Faenov A. Ya.
  • Pikuz T.
  Physical Review Letters, American Physical Society, 2007, 99, pp.265001. In this Letter, laboratory astrophysical jet experiments performed with the LULI2000 laser facility are presented. High speed plasma jets (150km·s<SUP>-1</SUP>) are generated using foam-filled cone targets. Accurate experimental characterization of the plasma jet is performed by measuring its time evolution and exploring various target parameters. Key jet parameters such as propagation and radial velocities, temperature, and density are obtained. For the first time, the required dimensionless quantities are experimentally determined on a single-shot basis. Although the jets evolve in vacuum, most of the scaling parameters are relevant to astrophysical conditions. (10.1103/PhysRevLett.99.265001)
  DOI : 10.1103/PhysRevLett.99.265001
• No light shining through a wall : new results from a photoregeneration experiment
  
  • Robilliard Cécile
  • Battesti Rémy
  • Hugbart Mathilde
  • Mauchain Julien
  • Sautivet Anne-Marie
  • Amiranoff François
  • Rizzo Carlo
  Physical Review Letters, American Physical Society, 2007, 99 (18), pp.190403. Recently, axion-like particle search has received renewed interest. In particular, several groups have started ''light shining through a wall'' experiments based on magnetic field and laser both continuous, which is very demanding in terms of detector background. We present here the 2$\sigma$ limits obtained so far with our novel set-up consisting of a pulsed magnetic field and a pulsed laser. In particular, we have found that the axion-like particle two photons inverse coupling constant $M$ is $> 8\times 10^5$ GeV provided that the particle mass $m_\mathrm{a} \sim$ 1 meV. Our results definitively invalidate the axion interpretation of the original PVLAS optical measurements with a confidence level greater than 99.9%. (10.1103/PhysRevLett.99.190403)
  DOI : 10.1103/PhysRevLett.99.190403
• Influence of hot electrons on radiative properties of a helium plasma
  
  • Escarguel A.
  • Rosmej F.
  • Brault C.
  • Pierre Thiery
  • Stamm R.
  • Quotb K.
  Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion, IOP Publishing, 2007, 49 (1), pp.85-93. (10.1088/0741-3335/49/1/006)
  DOI : 10.1088/0741-3335/49/1/006
• Strongly enhanced laser absorption and electron acceleration via resonant excitation of surface plasma waves
  
  • Raynaud M.
  • Kupersztych J.
  • Riconda C.
  • Adam J. C.
  • Héron A.
  Physics of Plasmas, American Institute of Physics, 2007, 14 (9), pp.092702. Two-dimensional (2D) particle-in-cell numerical simulations of the interaction between a high-intensity short-pulse p-polarized laser beam and an overdense plasma are presented. It is shown that, under appropriate physical conditions, a surface plasma wave can be resonantly excited by a short-pulse laser wave, leading to strong relativistic electron acceleration together with a dramatic increase, up to 70%, of light absorption by the plasma. Purely 2D effects contribute to enhancement of electron acceleration. It is also found that the angular distribution of the hot electrons is drastically affected by the surface wave. The subsequent ion dynamics is shown to be significantly modified by the surface plasma wave excitation. (10.1063/1.2755969)
  DOI : 10.1063/1.2755969
• Theoretical and Experimental Studies of Radiative Shocks
  
  • Michaut Claire
  • Vinci Tommaso
  • Boireau Laurent
  • Koenig M.
  • Bouquet Serge
  • Benuzzi-Mounaix Alessandra
  • Osaki N.
  • Herpe Georges
  • Falize Emeric
  • Loupias B.
  • Atzeni S.
  Astrophysics and Space Science, Springer Verlag, 2007, 307, pp.159-164. This paper deals with the radiative shock from both theoretical and numerical points of view. It is based on the whole experimental results obtained at Laboratoire d'Utilisation des Lasers Intenses (LULI, École Polytechnique). Radiative shocks are high-Mach number shocks with a strong coupling between radiation and hydrodynamics which leads to a structure governed by a radiative precursor. These shocks are involved in various astrophysical systems: stellar accretion shocks, pulsating stars, interaction between supernovae and the interstellar medium. In laboratory, these radiative shocks are generated using high power lasers. New diagnostics have been implemented to study the geometrical shape of the shock and the front shock density. Data were obtained varying initial conditions for different laser intensities and temperature. The modeling of these phenomena is mainly performed through numerical simulations (1D and 2D) and analytical studies. We exhibit results obtained from several radiative hydrodynamics codes. As a result, it is possible to discuss about the influence of the geometry and physical parameters introduced in the 1D and 2D models. (10.1007/s10509-006-9203-z)
  DOI : 10.1007/s10509-006-9203-z
• Plasma Jet Experiments Using LULI 2000 Laser Facility
  
  • Loupias B.
  • Falize Emeric
  • Koenig M.
  • Bouquet Serge
  • Ozaki Norimasa
  • Benuzzi-Mounaix Alessandra
  • Michaut Claire
  • Goahec M. Rabec Le
  • Nazarov W.
  • Courtois C.
  • Aglitskiy Y.
  • Faenov A. Ya.
  • Pikuz T.
  Astrophysics and Space Science, Springer Verlag, 2007, 307, pp.103-107. We present experiments performed with the LULI2000 nanosecond laser facility. We generated plasma jets by using specific designed target. The main measured quantities related to the jet such as its propagation velocity, temperature and emissive radius evolution are presented. We also performed analytical work, which explains the jet evolution in some cases. (10.1007/s10509-006-9249-y)
  DOI : 10.1007/s10509-006-9249-y
• High dynamic range streak camera for subpicosecond time-resolved x-ray spectroscopy
  
  • Bonte C.
  • Harmand M.
  • Dorchies F.
  • Magnan S.
  • Pitre V.
  • Kieffer J. C.
  • Audebert P.
  • Geindre J. P.
  Review of Scientific Instruments, American Institute of Physics, 2007, 78 (4). no abstract
• Prospects for nuclear physics with lasers
  
  • Hannachi F.
  • Aléonard M.M.
  • Gerbaux M.
  • Gobet F.
  • Malka G.
  • Plaisir C.
  • Scheurer J.N.
  • Tarisien M.
  • Audebert P.
  • Brambrink E.
  • Méot V.
  • Morel Pierre
  • Nicolaî Ph.
  • Tikhonchuk V.
  Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion, IOP Publishing, 2007, 49, pp.B79-B86. The development of high intensity lasers has opened up new opportunities for nuclear physics studies in extreme conditions which cannot be reached with conventional particle accelerators. A laser is a unique tool to produce plasma and very high fluxes of photon and particle beams in very short duration pulses. Both aspects are of great interest for fundamental nuclear physics studies. In plasma the electron–ions collisions may modify atomic and nuclear level properties. This is of prime importance for the population of isomeric states and the issue of energy storage in nuclei. Nuclear properties in the presence of very high electromagnetic fields, nuclear reaction rates or properties in hot and dense plasmas are new domains of investigation. Our group has launched an experimental program to evaluate the possibilities for such nuclear physics studies at high intensity laser facilities. This program and its first results are presented. (10.1088/0741-3335/49/12B/S06)
  DOI : 10.1088/0741-3335/49/12B/S06
• Recent experiments on the hydrodynamics of laser-produced plasmas conducted at the PALS laboratory
  
  • Batani D.
  • Dezulian R.
  • Redaelli R.
  • Benocci R.
  • Stabile H.
  • Canova F.
  • Desai T.
  • Lucchini G.
  • Krousky E.
  • Masek K.
  • Pfeifer M.
  • Skala J.
  • Dudzak R.
  • Rus B.
  • Ullschmied J.
  • Malka Victor
  • Faure Jérôme
  • Koenig M.
  • Limpouch J.
  • Nazarov W.
  • Pepler D.
  • Nagai K.
  • Norimatsu T.
  • Nishimura H.
  Laser and Particle Beams, Cambridge University Press (CUP), 2007, 25, pp.127–141. We present a series of experimental results, and their interpretation, connected to various aspects of the hydrodynamics of laser produced plasmas. Experiments were performed using the Prague PALS iodine laser working at 0.44 µm wavelength and irradiances up to a few 10^14W0cm^2. By adopting large focal spots and smoothed laser beams, the lateral energy transport and lateral expansion have been avoided. Therefore we could reach a quasi one-dimensional regime for which experimental results can be more easily and properly compared to available analytical models. (10.1017/S0263034607070164)
  DOI : 10.1017/S0263034607070164
• Chromatism compensation of the PETAL multipetawatt high-energy laser
  
  • Neauport Jérôme
  • Blanchot N
  • Rouyer C
  • Sauteret C
  Journal of Optics A: Pure and Applied Optics, IOP Publishing, 2007. High-energy petawatt lasers use series of spatial filters in their amplification section. The refractive lenses employed introduce longitudinal chromatism that can spatially and temporally distort the ultra-fast laser beam after focusing. To ensure optimum performances of petawatt laser facilities, these distortions need to be corrected. Several solutions using reflective, refractive, or diffractive optical components can be addressed. We give herein a review of these various possibilities with their application to the PETAL (Petawatt Aquitaine Laser at the Laser Integration Line facility) laser beamline and show that diffractive-based corrections appear to be the most promising. (10.1364/AO.46.001568)
  DOI : 10.1364/AO.46.001568