Publications

2023

• Future space experiment platforms for astrobiology and astrochemistry research
  
  • Elsaesser Andreas
  • Burr David
  • Mabey Paul
  • Urso Riccardo Giovanni
  • Billi Daniela
  • Cockell Charles
  • Cottin Hervé
  • Kish Adrienne
  • Leys Natalie
  • van Loon Jack
  • Mateo-Marti Eva
  • Moissl-Eichinger Christine
  • Onofri Silvano
  • Quinn Richard
  • Rabbow Elke
  • Rettberg Petra
  • de la Torre Noetzel Rosa
  • Slenzka Klaus
  • Ricco Antonio
  • de Vera Jean-Pierre
  • Westall Frances
  NPJ Microgravity, Nature Publishing Group, 2023, 9 (1), pp.43. Abstract Space experiments are a technically challenging but a scientifically important part of astrobiology and astrochemistry research. The International Space Station (ISS) is an excellent example of a highly successful and long-lasting research platform for experiments in space, that has provided a wealth of scientific data over the last two decades. However, future space platforms present new opportunities to conduct experiments with the potential to address key topics in astrobiology and astrochemistry. In this perspective, the European Space Agency (ESA) Topical Team Astrobiology and Astrochemistry (with feedback from the wider scientific community) identifies a number of key topics and summarizes the 2021 “ESA SciSpacE Science Community White Paper” for astrobiology and astrochemistry. We highlight recommendations for the development and implementation of future experiments, discuss types of in situ measurements, experimental parameters, exposure scenarios and orbits, and identify knowledge gaps and how to advance scientific utilization of future space-exposure platforms that are either currently under development or in an advanced planning stage. In addition to the ISS, these platforms include CubeSats and SmallSats, as well as larger platforms such as the Lunar Orbital Gateway. We also provide an outlook for in situ experiments on the Moon and Mars, and welcome new possibilities to support the search for exoplanets and potential biosignatures within and beyond our solar system. (10.1038/s41526-023-00292-1)
  DOI : 10.1038/s41526-023-00292-1
• Investigation of pulse duration reduction and intensity increase of Petawatt-class laser systems
  
  • Bleotu Petrisor Gabriel
  , 2023. The motivation for this thesis arises from the need to advance the development of peak power energy laser systems. The post-compression of existing femtosecond (fs) pulses toward the fundamental limit of a single-cycle of their carrier wavelength has been proposed as a shortcut to the morphing of TW into PW-class laser systems.Chapter I summarises the need for ultra-short and ultra-intense laser pulses while putting the accent on the actual status of high-power laser systems. This chapter includes a review of the post-compression methods that might lead to a realistic Exawatt class laser implementation.Chapter II is dedicated to the theoretical aspects of this thesis. The first part focuses on nonlinear effects, particularly nonlinear refractive index (NRI) and Self-Phase Modulation (SPM) leading to spectral broadening of ultrashort pulses. The latter part of this chapter discusses dispersion phenomena, different orders of dispersion, relevant dispersive materials commonly used in high-power laser systems (HPLS), and methods to compensate for dispersion. These concepts form the foundation of the thesis.To bring these theoretical concepts to experiments, simulations were developed using the PyNLO library within a Python environment. These simulations are designed to replicate the generation of ultra-short laser pulses and their subsequent propagation through nonlinear media.Chapter III outlines the comprehensive characterization of optical materials, covering dispersion, transmission, roughness, vacuum compatibility, and providing a detailed analysis of the nonlinear refractive index and laser-induced damage threshold. Additionally, a dispersion management system (DMS) is designed to compress the newly simulated spectrally broadened pulses. The results were summarized in a table that covers the properties of 10 different glasses and plastic optical materials.Chapter IV presents a detailed description of the experimental results obtained from four experimental campaigns dedicated to post-compression of ultrashort pulses. It showcases the utilization of plastics and glasses in post-compression experiments involving high-energy laser pulses, successfully achieving compression levels ranging from terawatt (TW) to petawatt (PW) peak power. The chapter also addresses new challenges pertaining to the metrology of post-compressed laser pulses, such as spatio-temporal couplings, encircled energy, nonlinear absorption in chirped mirrors (CM), and wavefront correction, providing detailed insight into these aspects.Using the key parameters such as dispersion, nonlinear refractive index, and damage threshold, it is shown also that the propagation of ultra-short laser pulses through optical materials can provide sub 6 fs laser pulses.Chapter V wraps up the thesis by presenting the main conclusions drawn from the research. It includes various summary tables, two novel methods to estimate the NRI, 3 complementary methods to perform LIDT measurements, and the prediction of reaching sub 6 fs at Joule-level energy. I showed for the first time experimental results for the stability of such post-compressed laser pulses while higher orders of dispersion are compensated, therefore demonstrating the potential to generate a 5-fold compression factor when 2 J and 2 mm BK7 are used.This chapter also discusses future perspectives, including the potential implementation of the results of the work for electron acceleration, as well as simulations involving secondary sources of radiation. (10.70675/43f4d448zba4fz4486za29cz5e2d49649585)
  DOI : 10.70675/43f4d448zba4fz4486za29cz5e2d49649585
• Etudes des supernovæ et de leur rémanent en astrophysique de laboratoire : influence du champ magnétique et du rayonnement
  
  • Benkadoum Yaniss
  , 2023. Cette thèse s’inscrit dans le cadre d’une discipline récente : l’astrophysique de laboratoire. Ces deux termes dont la combinaison forme presque un oxymore peuvent être liés grâce à l’avènement d’une nouvelle technologie qui jouera tout au long de ces travaux le rôle de trait d’union : les machines d’énergies pulsées. Pour bien comprendre le domaine d’application de cette nouvelle discipline il suffit de décortiquer son appellation. L’astrophysique s’affaire à expliquer les phénomènes se produisant dans l’univers. Bien qu’ayant fait des progrès colossaux depuis le début du siècle dernier, l’astrophysique reste lourdement tributaire des observations et informations que nous offre l’univers. Additionnellement à cette quantité limitée d’informations, les objets et processus observés sont de notre point de vue comme figés dans le temps. Autant d’inconvénients que l’astrophysique de laboratoire se propose de contrer. En effet, dans « astrophysique de laboratoire », il y a « laboratoire ». Et grâce à des lois d’échelle, à la notion de similarité et à l’aide de nombres adimensionnés, il est possible de reproduire en laboratoire, et donc dans des conditions contrôlées, des phénomènes plus ou moins similaires à des processus et corps astrophysiques.Pour cela, il est nécessaire de mettre la matière dans des conditions extrêmes de température et pression. Ce régime hautement énergétique de la matière est décrit via une physique particulière nommée, Physique des Hautes Densités d’Energie (PHDE). Plus précisément, ce domaine de la physique désigne la science d’un système qui possède une densité d’énergie dépassant les 1011 J.cm-3, ce qui correspond par exemple à une pression supérieure à 1 Mbar. Les installations de laser de puissance nous permettent d’atteindre ce genre de régime.La PHDE contrôlée en laboratoire permet d’étudier de nombreux sujets, notamment ceux traités dans cette thèse. En effet, les instabilités, le rayonnement et le champ magnétique sont trois composantes dont l’évaluation est très compliquée dans de nombreux objets et processus astrophysiques : effondrement de nuages moléculaires et formation stellaire, rémanents de supernovæ, choc d’accrétion, jets d’étoiles jeunes, … Ces composantes ont donc tout à fait leur place dans des expériences d’astrophysique de laboratoire. Ces trois sujets de recherches forment donc le cœur battant du contenu de cette thèse.La considération simultanée, au moins deux à deux, du rayonnement, du champ magnétique et des instabilités reste encore partiellement inexplorée. De multiples expériences cherchant à mêler au moins deux des trois composantes phares de cette thèse ont récemment vu le jour. Cette pléthore de situations astrophysiques faisant intervenir ces trois composantes physiques et le manque d’expériences reproduisant leurs actions concomitantes ont motiver les travaux et études de cette thèse.Cette thèse propose donc d’explorer ces trois sujets de recherches grâce à l’analyse et à la préparation d’expériences sur des installations lasers à travers le monde. Notamment, nous présentons les résultats d’analyses d’expériences de chocs radiatifs faites sur le LULI2000 en France, sur GEKKO XII à Osaka (Japon) ainsi que sur le LMJ à Bordeaux (France). Une expérience sur les instabilités réalisée sur le XFEL de SACLA (Japon) sera également analysée et décortiquée. En sus, deux dimensionnements d’expériences destinées à être réalisées sur les installations laser de type LMJ et NIF seront aussi discutés et présentés. Une dernière partie résumera le développement ainsi que l’étude de sources x utilisées pour de la radiographie à haute résolution par projection de source ponctuelle mené en plusieurs campagnes sur le LULI2000. Ce travail est le moyen mis en œuvre par le CEA afin d'optimiser une telle source sur le laser PETAL (LMJ) s'inscrivant dans une chaine de calculs prédictifs utilisant les résultats obtenus dans cette thèse. (10.70675/eeec2e41zf701z4b88zbca2z8828503b762c)
  DOI : 10.70675/eeec2e41zf701z4b88zbca2z8828503b762c
• Direct imaging of shock wave splitting in diamond at Mbar pressure
  
  • Makarov Sergey
  • Dyachkov Sergey
  • Pikuz Tatiana
  • Katagiri Kento
  • Nakamura Hirotaka
  • Zhakhovsky Vasily
  • Inogamov Nail
  • Khokhlov Victor
  • Martynenko Artem
  • Albertazzi Bruno
  • Rigon Gabriel
  • Mabey Paul
  • Hartley Nicholas
  • Inubushi Yuichi
  • Miyanishi Kohei
  • Sueda Keiichi
  • Togashi Tadashi
  • Yabashi Makina
  • Yabuuchi Toshinori
  • Okuchi Takuo
  • Kodama Ryosuke
  • Pikuz Sergey A.
  • Koenig Michel
  • Ozaki Norimasa
  Matter and Radiation at Extremes, AIP Publishing, 2023, 8 (6), pp.066601. Understanding the behavior of matter at extreme pressures of the order of a megabar (Mbar) is essential to gain insight into various physical phenomena at macroscales—the formation of planets, young stars, and the cores of super-Earths, and at microscales—damage to ceramic materials and high-pressure plastic transformation and phase transitions in solids. Under dynamic compression of solids up to Mbar pressures, even a solid with high strength exhibits plastic properties, causing the induced shock wave to split in two: an elastic precursor and a plastic shock wave. This phenomenon is described by theoretical models based on indirect measurements of material response. The advent of x-ray free-electron lasers (XFELs) has made it possible to use their ultrashort pulses for direct observations of the propagation of shock waves in solid materials by the method of phase-contrast radiography. However, there is still a lack of comprehensive data for verification of theoretical models of different solids. Here, we present the results of an experiment in which the evolution of the coupled elastic–plastic wave structure in diamond was directly observed and studied with submicrometer spatial resolution, using the unique capabilities of the x-ray free-electron laser (XFEL). The direct measurements allowed, for the first time, the fitting and validation of the 2D failure model for diamond in the range of several Mbar. Our experimental approach opens new possibilities for the direct verification and construction of equations of state of matter in the ultra-high-stress range, which are relevant to solving a variety of problems in high-energy-density physics. (10.1063/5.0156681)
  DOI : 10.1063/5.0156681
• Experimental investigation of the interplay between optical and plasma smoothing induced on a laser megajoule beamline
  
  • Depierreux S.
  • Pesme D.
  • Wrobel R.
  • Michel D.
  • Masson-Laborde P.-E.
  • Riazuelo G.
  • Alozy E.
  • Borisenko N.
  • Orekhov A.
  • Casanova M.
  • Casner A.
  • Grech M.
  • Heron A.
  • Huller S.
  • Loiseau P.
  • Nicolaï P.
  • Riconda C.
  • Tikhonchuk V.
  • Labaune C.
  • Meyer Christophe
  Physical Review Research, American Physical Society, 2023, 5 (4), pp.043060. (10.1103/PhysRevResearch.5.043060)
  DOI : 10.1103/PhysRevResearch.5.043060
• HIBISCUS: Simulator for the development of control strategies for coherent beam combining lasers with PISTIL technique
  
  • Rousseaux Thomas
  • Primot Jérôme
  • Chanteloup Jean-Christophe
  • Rouzé Bastien
  • Bellanger Cindy
  EPJ Web of Conferences, EDP Sciences, 2023, 287, pp.08019. CBC (Coherent Beam Combining) is a key technology for the realisation of intense lasers. In this context, PISTIL (PISton and TILt interferometry), a precise metrology tool for measuring segmented wave surfaces, has been developed and used in particular to characterise and diagnose CBC ultrafast and digital laser in the framework of the XCAN (X Coherent Amplification Network) project at the École Polytechnique. We propose here to use it in a way to help the optimisation of control techniques by including PISTIL in an XCAN type CBC laser simulator. This will allow an easy tuning of the control laws, outside the clean rooms in which these large lasers are deployed and without the need to start them up. (10.1051/epjconf/202328708019)
  DOI : 10.1051/epjconf/202328708019
• Post-compression of shaped coherent beam combining femtosecond digital laser pulses
  
  • Fsaifes Ihsan
  • Ranély-Vergé-Dépré Claude-Alban
  • Becheker Rezki
  • Fritsch Kilian
  • Pronin Oleg
  • Chanteloup Jean-Christophe
  , 2023, pp.ATh3A.1. We present the post-compression of 337 fs/123 W pulse train generated from a 61-tiled channels coherently combined femtosecond digital laser in an Argon-filled multi-pass cell. We also explore the propagation of a Laguerre-Gaussian beam in such a cell. (10.1364/ASSL.2023.ATh3A.1)
  DOI : 10.1364/ASSL.2023.ATh3A.1
• Experimental optimization of orbital angular momentum beams generated by coherent beam combining digital laser
  
  • Ranély-Vergé-Dépré Claude-Alban
  • Becheker Rezki
  • Fsaifes Ihsan
  • Burger Miloš
  • Jovanovic Igor
  • Chanteloup Jean-Christophe
  , 2023, pp.JTu5A.4. We experimentally implemented a genetic algorithm to improve the uniformity of a Laguerre-Gaussian beam generated with a 61-channels coherent beam combining digital laser. (10.1364/ASSL.2023.JTu5A.4)
  DOI : 10.1364/ASSL.2023.JTu5A.4
• Orbital angular momentum beams engineering with liquid-crystal converter and a kW fs digital laser
  
  • Becheker Rezki
  • Ranély-Vergé-Dépré Claude-Alban
  • Fsaifes Ihsan
  • Boer Gerben
  • Chanteloup Jean-Christophe
  , 2023, pp.ATh3A.3. We report on a versatile orbital angular momentum beam generation from a 61 channels coherent beam combining femtosecond digital laser by using liquid-crystal polarization converter. (10.1364/ASSL.2023.ATh3A.3)
  DOI : 10.1364/ASSL.2023.ATh3A.3
• Tango at LULI
  
  • Marchand Stéphane
  • Bruneau Jean-Miche
  • Ennelin Laurent
  • Minolli Sonia
  • Sow Maguette
  , 2023, ICALEPCS2023, pp.TUPDP012. Apollon, LULI2000 and HERA are three Research Infrastructures of the Centre national de la recherche scientifique (CNRS), École polytechnique (X), Commissariat à l’Énergie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives (CEA) and Sorbonne University (SU). Now in past-commissioning phase, Apollon is a four beam laser, multi-petawatt laser facility fitted with instrumentation technologies on the cutting edge with two experimental areas (short–up to 1m–and long focal–up to 20m, 32m in the future). To monitor the laser beam characteristics through the interaction chambers, more than 300 devices are distributed in the facility and controlled through a Tango bus. This poster presents primarily a synthetic view of the Apollon facility, from network to hardware and from virtual machines to software under Tango architecture. We can here have an overview of the different types of devices which are running on the facility and some GUIs developed with the exploitation team to insure the best possible way of running the lasers. While developments are still currently under work for this facility, upgrading the systems of LULI2000 from one side and HERA from the other side are underway by the Control-Command & Supervision team and would follow the same specifications to offer shared protocols and knowledge. (10.18429/JACoW-ICALEPCS2023-TUPDP012)
  DOI : 10.18429/JACoW-ICALEPCS2023-TUPDP012
• DevPylon, DevVimba: Game Changers at LULI
  
  • Marchand Stéphane
  • Bruneau Jean-Miche
  • Ennelin Laurent
  • Minolli Sonia
  • Sow Maguette
  , 2023, ICALEPCS2023, pp.TUMBCMO32. Apollon, LULI2000 and HERA are three Research Infrastructures of the Centre national de la recherche scientifique (CNRS), École polytechnique (X), Commissariat à l’Énergie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives (CEA) and Sorbonne University (SU). Past-commissioning phase, Apollon is a four beam laser, multi-petawatt laser facility fitted with instrumentation technologies on the cutting edge with two experimental areas (short–up to 1m–and long focal–up to 20m, 32m in the future). To monitor the laser beam characteristics through the interaction chambers, more than 500 devices are distributed in the facility and controlled through a Tango bus. This poster focuses on two linked software components: DevPylon and DevVimba. Each affected to a type of cameras: Basler via PyPylon wrapper interface of Pylon Software suite and Prosilica via Vimba SDK library, respectively. These two Tango devices are Python scripts constructed and generated via POGO. They offer a specific way to monitor more than 100 CCD cameras in the facility at an image acquisition and display rate up to 10Hz for a maximum of 300-shot at 1-minute rate per day and on an always-ON mode throughout the day. (10.18429/JACoW-ICALEPCS2023-TUMBCMO32)
  DOI : 10.18429/JACoW-ICALEPCS2023-TUMBCMO32
• Transonic dislocation propagation in diamond
  
  • Katagiri Kento
  • Pikuz Tatiana
  • Fang Lichao
  • Albertazzi Bruno
  • Egashira Shunsuke
  • Inubushi Yuichi
  • Kamimura Genki
  • Kodama Ryosuke
  • Koenig Michel
  • Kozioziemski Bernard
  • Masaoka Gooru
  • Miyanishi Kohei
  • Nakamura Hirotaka
  • Ota Masato
  • Rigon Gabriel
  • Sakawa Youichi
  • Sano Takayoshi
  • Schoofs Frank
  • Smith Zoe
  • Sueda Keiichi
  • Togashi Tadashi
  • Vinci Tommaso
  • Wang Yifan
  • Yabashi Makina
  • Yabuuchi Toshinori
  • Dresselhaus-Marais Leora
  • Ozaki Norimasa
  Science, American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), 2023, 382 (6666), pp.69-72. The motion of line defects (dislocations) has been studied for over 60 years but the maximum speed at which they can move is unresolved. Recent models and atomistic simulations predict the existence of a limiting velocity of dislocation motions between the transonic and subsonic ranges at which the self-energy of dislocation diverges, though they do not deny the possibility of the transonic dislocations. We use femtosecond x-ray radiography to track ultrafast dislocation motion in shock-compressed single-crystal diamond. By visualizing stacking faults extending faster than the slowest sound wave speed of diamond, we show the evidence of partial dislocations at their leading edge moving transonically. Understanding the upper limit of dislocation mobility in crystals is essential to accurately model, predict, and control the mechanical properties of materials under extreme conditions. (10.1126/science.adh5563)
  DOI : 10.1126/science.adh5563
• Étonnante physique
  
  • Le Merrer Marie
  • Pierre Juliette
  • Budtova Tatiana
  • Smallenburg Frank
  • Derluyn Hannelore
  • Chabert Pascal
  • Nassoy Pierre
  • Thiam Abdou Rachid
  • Rivière Charlotte
  • Savina Farah
  • Wilhelm Claire
  • Biarnes-Pelicot Martine
  • Emiliani Valentina
  • Maalmi Jihane
  • Lindner Anke
  • Goral Martyna
  • Clément Eric
  • Capron Emilie
  • Weiss Jérôme
  • Venaille Antoine
  • Clerbaux Cathy
  • Auriol Frédérique
  • Edouart Dimitri
  • Roberts Tjarda J
  • Marteau Jacques
  • Bernardi Pernelle
  • François Forget
  • Morange Nicolas
  • Petit Elisabeth
  • Bellachia Fatih
  • Arnaez Olivier
  • Puill Veronique
  • Hippolyte Boris
  • Porteboeuf Sarah
  • Bender Michael
  • Foy Jean-Claude
  • Ascher Pauline
  • Biermann Silke
  • Dalibard Jean
  • Browaeys Antoine
  • Wiotte Fabrice
  • Dréau Anaïs
  • Rojas-Sánchez J.-C.
  • Bellec Matthieu
  • Massee Freek
  • Aprili Marco
  • Huitema Laure
  • Sauleau Ronan
  • Ettorre Mauro
  • Nadji Amor
  • Roussel Eléonore
  • Mathieu François
  • Houdellier Florent
  • Collet Eric
  • Matzen Sylvia
  • Douillard Thierry
  • Lesaint Bérangère
  • Malchère Annie
  • Boyaval Christophe
  • Haddadi Kamel
  • Drouet Michel
  • Lhuillier Emmanuel
  • Dempsey Nora
  • Rossi Carole
  • Brunner Daniel
  • Lejeune M.
  • Combes Francoise
  • Calore F.
  • Tatischeff Vincent
  • Volonteri Marta
  • Cerutti Benoît
  • Pinard Laurent
  • Juramy Claire
  • Karst Pierre
  • Laporte Didier
  • Vezzu Francis
  • Virieux Françoise
  • Bron Emeric
  • Martin-Drumel Marie-Aline
  • Vigan Arthur
  • Courty Jean-Michel
  • Bobroff Julien
  , 2023, pp.422. Discipline multimillénaire, la physique explore l’espace et le temps. De l’immensité des amas de galaxies à l’infinie petitesse des particules élémentaires, des échelles humaines – du mètre au centimètre – jusqu’au nanomonde, de l’extrême brièveté du mouvement de l’électron jusqu’au fond des âges d’où nous parviennent les premières lumières de l’Univers : les domaines couverts par cette discipline n’ont pas fini de nous étonner.Cette science est celle de l’expérimentation méthodique qui met au point des instruments originaux pour observer la matière, inerte ou vivante, en laboratoire ou à distance. Celle qui pose encore de grandes questions fondamentales. Mais aussi celle qui accompagne notre vie quotidienne avec ses développements dans les domaines des matériaux, de la santé, de l’énergie, du climat…Pour montrer toute sa richesse, cet ouvrage réunit 70 contributions de physiciennes et de physiciens récemment récompensés par une médaille du CNRS pour l’originalité et l’importance de leurs travaux. Abondamment illustré, accessible à tout amateur de science, Étonnante Physique lève un voile sur les recherches les plus actuelles.
• LED-pumped Ce:YAG luminescent concentrator for calibration of a streaked optical pyrometer
  
  • Nourry-Martin M.
  • Denoeud A.
  • Chollet C.
  • Bonneau M.
  • Vinci T.
  • Ravasio A.
  • Brygoo S.
  • Darbon S.
  • Balembois François
  , 2023.
• Absolute calibration of a streaked optical pyrometer at nanosecond time scale with a luminescent concentrator
  
  • Nourry-Martin M.
  • Denoeud A.
  • Chollet C.
  • Bonneau M.
  • Vinci T.
  • Ravasio A.
  • Brygoo S.
  • Darbon S.
  • Balembois F.
  Review of Scientific Instruments, American Institute of Physics, 2023, 94 (8), pp.083502. The Streaked Optical Pyrometer (SOP) is a visible diagnostic widely used to study the warm dense matter regime at high energy laser facilities, gas guns, or ion accelerators. It is usually coupled with a Velocity Interferometer System for Any Reflector (VISAR) diagnostic for simultaneous shock wave velocity, reflectivity, and temperature measurements to study the Equation of State (EOS) of materials. While VISAR is a well-mastered technology that provides velocity measurements with low relative uncertainties (close to percent), SOP diagnostics still suffer from high imprecision. In this article, we present a new calibration method in order to obtain absolute temperature measurements with reduced uncertainties. This approach is based on a novel light source: a Ce:YAG luminescent concentrator pumped by LEDs. This device produces enough optical power for calibration at the nanosecond sweep duration of the streak camera. As a demonstration, it has first been installed at the LULI facility and tested on quartz samples shocked at temperatures above 4000 K. (10.1063/5.0145506)
  DOI : 10.1063/5.0145506
• Random Bullets Versus Self-Triggered Short Discharges in a Helium Atmospheric Pressure Plasma Jet
  
  • Yang Hang
  • van Zwol Annemarie
  • Burdonov Konstantin
  • Fuchs Julien
  • Rousseau Antoine
  Plasma Chemistry and Plasma Processing, Springer Verlag, 2023, 43 (6), pp.1491-1507. Atmospheric pressure plasma jets driven by AC voltage are reported to exhibit randomness or periodicity under certain operating conditions. In the present article, discharges in a helium plasma jet driven by 16 kHz sinusoidal voltage are studied. In the positive half cycle, several short and slow periodic discharges (3–6 km/s) are observed before the ignition of random longer and faster bullets (20–60 km/s). The characteristics of the random discharges are studied using statistical methods. The propagation of slow plasma bullets and fast bullets is analysed using an ICCD camera and a streak camera. Glowing like plasma that lasts for 2–6 μs is observed near the gap region and possibly provides a high seed electron density for a following microdischarge. The results are compared with a previous study with a similar APPJ which exhibits multi-periodicity under certain conditions. It is proposed that volumetric residual charges may play an important role for APPJs with short gap distances. (10.1007/s11090-023-10358-3)
  DOI : 10.1007/s11090-023-10358-3
• LED-pumped Ce:YAG luminescent concentrator for absolute calibration of streaks cameras at nanosecond sweep durations
  
  • Nourry-Martin Maxime
  • Denoeud Adrien
  • Chollet Clément
  • Bonneau Marie
  • Vinci Tommaso
  • Ravasio Alessandra
  • Brygoo Stéphanie
  • Darbon Stéphane
  • Balembois François
  , 2023, pp.1-1. (10.1109/CLEO/Europe-EQEC57999.2023.10232826)
  DOI : 10.1109/CLEO/Europe-EQEC57999.2023.10232826
• Visible radiophotoluminescence of color centers in lithium fluoride thin films for high spatial resolution imaging detectors for hard X-rays
  
  • Vincenti Maria Aurora
  • Nichelatti Enrico
  • Nigro Valentina
  • Piccinini Massimo
  • Albertazzi Bruno
  • Benkadoum Yaniss
  • Dabrowski Hannibal
  • Koenig Michel
  • Rigon Gabriel
  • Mabey Paul
  • Mercere Pascal
  • da Silva Paulo
  • Pikuz Tatiana
  • Ozaki Norimasa
  • Filippov Evgeny
  • Makarov Sergey
  • Pikuz Sergey
  • Montereali Rosa Maria
  ECS Journal of Solid State Science and Technology, IOP Science, 2023, 12 (6), pp.066008. Passive solid-state detectors based on the visible radiophotoluminescence (RPL) of stable aggregate F$_2$ and F$_3$$^+$ color centers in lithium fluoride (LiF) are successfully used for X-ray imaging and advanced diagnostics of intense X-rays sources. Among their advantages, these detectors offer a wide dynamic range and simplicity of use. They can be read non-destructively using a fluorescence microscope, enabling high spatial resolution over a large field of view. Optically transparent LiF films, of three different increasing thicknesses, were grown by thermal evaporation on glass and silicon substrates and subsequently irradiated with monochromatic 7 keV X-rays at several doses from 1.3 × 10$^1$ to 4.5 × 10$^3$ Gy at the SOLEIL synchrotron facility. For all the LiF films, the RPL response was found to depend linearly on the irradiation dose, with films grown on Si(100) substrates exhibiting up to a 50% higher response compared to those grown on glass. A minimum dose of 13 Gy was detected, despite the low thickness of the irradiated films. The limited thickness of the homogeneously colored LiF film allowed to obtain a spatial resolution of (0.44 ± 0.04) μm in edge-enhancement imaging experiments conducted by placing an Au mesh in front of the samples. (10.1149/2162-8777/acdd9b)
  DOI : 10.1149/2162-8777/acdd9b
• Dynamics of Nanosecond Laser Pulse Propagation and of Associated Instabilities in a Magnetized Underdense Plasma
  
  • Yao Weipeng
  • Higginson A.
  • Marquès J.-R
  • Antici P.
  • Béard J.
  • Burdonov K.
  • Borghesi M.
  • Castan A.
  • Ciardi A.
  • Coleman B.
  • Chen S. N.
  • D’humières E.
  • Gangolf T.
  • Gremillet L.
  • Khiar B.
  • Lancia L.
  • Loiseau P.
  • Ribeyre X.
  • Soloviev A.
  • Starodubtsev M.
  • Wang Q.
  • Fuchs J.
  Physical Review Letters, American Physical Society, 2023, 130 (26), pp.265101. (10.1103/PhysRevLett.130.265101)
  DOI : 10.1103/PhysRevLett.130.265101
• Indirect evidence for elemental hydrogen in laser-compressed hydrocarbons
  
  • Kraus D.
  • Vorberger J.
  • Hartley N.
  • Lütgert J.
  • Rödel M.
  • Chekrygina D.
  • Döppner T.
  • van Driel T.
  • Falcone R.
  • Fletcher L.
  • Frydrych S.
  • Galtier E.
  • Gericke D.
  • Glenzer S.
  • Granados E.
  • Inubushi Y.
  • Kamimura N.
  • Katagiri K.
  • Macdonald M.
  • Mackinnon A.
  • Matsuoka T.
  • Miyanishi K.
  • Mcbride E.
  • Nam I.
  • Neumayer P.
  • Ozaki N.
  • Pak A.
  • Ravasio A.
  • Saunders A.
  • Schuster A.
  • Stevenson M.
  • Sueda K.
  • Sun P.
  • Togashi T.
  • Voigt K.
  • Yabashi M.
  • Yabuuchi T.
  Physical Review Research, American Physical Society, 2023, 5 (2), pp.L022023. (10.1103/PhysRevResearch.5.L022023)
  DOI : 10.1103/PhysRevResearch.5.L022023
• Optical characterization of lithium fluoride thin-film imaging detectors for monochromatic hard X-rays
  
  • Vincenti M.A.
  • Montereali R.M.
  • Nichelatti E.
  • Nigro V.
  • Piccinini M.
  • Koenig M.
  • Mabey P.
  • Rigon G.
  • Dabrowski H.J.
  • Benkadoum Y.
  • Mercere P.
  • da Silva P.
  • Pikuz T.
  • Ozaki N.
  • Makarov S.
  • Pikuz S.
  • Albertazzi Bruno
  Journal of Instrumentation, IOP Publishing, 2023, 18 (04), pp.C04012. Lithium fluoride (LiF) crystals and thin films have been successfully investigated as X-ray imaging detectors based on optical reading of visible photoluminescence emitted by stable radiation-induced F$_2$ and F$^+$$_3$ colour centres. In this work, the visible photoluminescence response of optically-transparent LiF film detectors of three different thicknesses, grown by thermal evaporation on Si(100) substrates and irradiated with monochromatic 7 keV X-rays at several doses in the range between 13 and 4.5 × 10$^3$ Gy, was carefully investigated by fluorescence optical microscopy. For all the film thicknesses, the photoluminescence response linearly depends on the irradiation dose in the investigated dose range. The lowest detected dose, delivered to the thinnest LiF film, only 0.5 μm thick, is estimated 13 Gy. Edge-enhancement imaging experiments, conducted by irradiating LiF film detectors at the same energy placing an Au mesh in front of them at a distance of 15 mm, allowed estimating a spatial resolution of (0.38 ± 0.05) μm, which is comparable to the microscope one. This very high spatial resolution in LiF film radiation detectors based on colour centres photoluminescence is combined with the availability of a wide field of view on large areas. (10.1088/1748-0221/18/04/C04012)
  DOI : 10.1088/1748-0221/18/04/C04012
• An online readout CMOS detector to measure ion spectra produced by high-repetition-rate high-power lasers
  
  • Burdonov K
  • Lelievre R
  • Forestier-Colleoni P
  • Ceccotti T
  • Cuciuc M
  • Lancia L
  • Yao W
  • Fuchs J
  , 2023. We present the design and the absolute calibration of charged particle high-repetition-rate online readout CMOS system tailored for high-power laser experiments. This system equips a Thomson parabola (TP) spectrometer, used at the Apollon petawatt scale laser facility to measure the spectra of protons produced by high-intensity laser-target interactions. The RadEye1 CMOS matrixes array detectors are paired with a custom triggering system for image grabbing. This allows us to register the proton and ion signals remotely at a high-repetition-rate. The latter is presently of one shot/min, but the frame grabbing enables the system to be compatible with modern high-power lasers running e.g. at 10 Hz. We detail here the implementation, in the harsh electromagnetic environment of such interactions, of the system, and its absolute calibration of the RadEye CMOS matrices, which was performed for proton energies from 4 MeV to 20 MeV.
• Ab initio calculation of the reflectivity of molecular fluids under shock compression
  
  • French Martin
  • Bethkenhagen Mandy
  • Ravasio Alessandra
  • Hernandez Jean-Alexis
  Physical Review B, American Physical Society, 2023, 107 (13), pp.134109. We calculate reflectivities of dynamically compressed water, water-ethanol mixtures, and ammonia at infrared and optical wavelengths with density functional theory and molecular dynamics simulations. The influence of the exchange-correlation functional on the results is examined in detail. Our findings indicate that the consistent use of the HSE hybrid functional reproduces experimental results much better than the commonly used PBE functional. The HSE functional offers not only a more accurate description of the electronic band gap but also shifts the onset of molecular dissociation in the molecular dynamics simulations to significantly higher pressures. We also highlight the importance of using accurate reference standards in reflectivity experiments and reanalyze infrared and optical reflectivity data from recent experiments. Thus, our combined theoretical and experimental work explains and resolves lingering discrepancies between calculations and measurements for the investigated molecular substances under shock compression. (10.1103/physrevb.107.134109)
  DOI : 10.1103/physrevb.107.134109
• Le laser XCAN : façonner la lumière en mode digital
  
  • Chanteloup Jean-Christophe
  • Fsaifes Ihsan
  Photoniques, EDP Sciences, 2023 (118), pp.35-39. L’avènement des lasers à combinaison cohérente de multiples faisceaux est à l’origine d’un changement de paradigme dans le domaine de l’architecture laser. L’opérateur de ce nouveau type de source lumineuse se voit en effet offrir la possibilité d’agir canal par canal sur les caractéristiques des faisceaux lasers individuels afin de façonner la distribution d’énergie optimale du faisceau recombiné requise pour l’application visée. Une telle approche digitale de la mise en oeuvre d’une source cohérente très puissante (GW crête/kW moyen) ouvre un vaste champ applicatif. (10.1051/photon/202311835)
  DOI : 10.1051/photon/202311835
• Experimental evidence of shock wave measurements with low-velocity (<100 m s −1 ) and fast dynamics (<10 ns) capabilities using a coupled photonic Doppler velocimetry (PDV) and triature velocity interferometer system for any reflector (VISAR) diagnostic
  
  • Boutoux G.
  • Chevalier J.-M.
  • Arrigoni M.
  • Berthe L.
  • Beuton R.
  • Bicrel B.
  • Galtié A.
  • Hébert D.
  • Le Clanche J.
  • Loillier S.
  • Loison Didier
  • Maury P.
  • Raffray Y.
  • Videau L.
  Review of Scientific Instruments, American Institute of Physics, 2023, 94 (3), pp.033905. We present a series of shock-wave measurements on aluminum based on the use of a simultaneous Photon Doppler Velocimetry (PDV) and triature velocity interferometer system for any reflector. Our dual setup can accurately measure shock velocities, especially in the low-speed range (<100 m s −1 ) and fast dynamics (<10 ns) where measurements are critical in terms of resolution and unfolding techniques. Especially, the direct comparison of both techniques at the same measurement point helps the physicist in determining coherent settings for the short time Fourier transform analysis of the PDV, providing increased reliability of the velocity measurement with a global resolution of few m s −1 in velocity and few ns FWHM in time. The advantages of such coupled velocimetry measurements are discussed, as well as new opportunities in dynamic materials science and applications. (10.1063/5.0107499)
  DOI : 10.1063/5.0107499