Applications of Laser-Plasma Interactions

301 Pages·2008·9.25 MB·\301

by  Shalom Eliezer (Editor), Kunioki Mima (Editor)

Applications of
Laser–Plasma Interactions
Series in Plasma Physics
Series Editor:
Steve Cowley, Imperial College, UK and UCLA, USA
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Series in Plasma Physics
Applications of
Laser–Plasma Interactions
Edited by
Shalom Eliezer
Soreq Nuclear Research Center
Israel
Kunioki Mima
Osaka University
Japan
Boca Raton London New York
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Applications of laser plasma interactions / Shalom Eliezer, Kunioki Mima.
p. cm. -- (Series in plasma physics)
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-0-8493-7604-7 (hardcover : alk. paper)
1. High power lasers--Industrial applications. 2. X-ray lasers--Industrial
applications. 3. Laser-plasma interactions. 4. Laser fusion. I. Eliezer, Shalom. II.
Mima, Kunioki. III. Title. IV. Series.
TA1677.A67 2009
621.36’6--dc22 2008044198
Visit the Taylor & Francis Web site at
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It is an honor for us to dedicate this book to the pioneers of laser fusion
and high-power laser applications: Professors Chiyoe Yamanaka, Yoshiaki Kato,
Toshiki Tajima, Guillermo Velarde, Jose M. Martinez Val, and Manuel Perlado.

Contents
Foreword ......................................................................................................ix
Preface ..........................................................................................................xi
Acknowledgments ....................................................................................xiii
Editors .........................................................................................................xv
Contributors .............................................................................................xvii
1. Inertial Fusion Energy .......................................................................1
Kunioki Mima, Masakatsu Murakami, Sadao Nakai, and Shalom Eliezer
2. Accelerators .......................................................................................53
James Koga
3. X-Ray Sources ....................................................................................81
Hiroaki Nishimura
4. X-Ray Lasers ....................................................................................115
Hiroyuki Daido, Tetsuya Kawachi, Kengo Moribayashi,
and Alexander Pirozhkov
5. Nuclear and Particle Physics with Ultraintense Lasers ............143
José Tito Mendonça and Shalom Eliezer
6. Equations of State ...........................................................................181
Shalom Eliezer and Zohar Henis
7. Material Processing with Femtosecond Lasers ..........................243
Masayuki Fujita
8. Nanoparticles Induced by Femtosecond Lasers .........................255
Shalom Eliezer
Index ..........................................................................................................277
vii

Foreword
This book is about the practical use of laser interactions with the fourth state
of matter: plasma. This is the story of the coherent interactions of photons
with electrons and ions. Both the laser and the plasma have unique properties
that offer a multitude of applications through their interactions.
The most important match between laser and plasma would be the solution
of the energy problem for mankind. If this could be realized even by the
middle of this century, then all the intellectual effort on this project would be
one of the greatest achievements of laser–plasma applications. Without
energy, the human society cannot be sustained. Energy sources can be
divided into two categories: the good and the bad. The good, that is, the use
of economic solar energy on a large scale; nuclear fusion energy from inertial
fusion and magnetic fusion; and a safe, secure nuclear fuel cycle for fi ssion
reactors are still not available. The bad, that is, the present major source,
fossil fuels, may cause irreversible damage to our planet.
Laser has the ability to deliver a wide range of energy densities during
various time durations. For example, present laser technology can provide a
mega-joule of energy into a space of about a millimeter cube during a time
duration of nanoseconds, while, with femtosecond lasers, the power of a
petta-watt can be achieved on a scale with dimensions of microns.
Plasma can cover very wide density and temperature ranges that extend
over many orders of magnitudes. Plasma has the advantage over other matter
because it does not break or disintegrate when heated to extreme temperatures
or when applied to strong electromagnetic fi elds. This makes plasma a good
and interesting companion for the high-power laser in multiple applications.
Other applications in this book are diverse enough to justify multiple
laser–plasma relationships. Due to the “unbreakable” plasma in very high
electric fi elds, this relationship may lead us to the ultimate accelerator. The
laser is capable of stripping every atom from any electron number it desires,
including stripping off the 92 electrons from uranium. This makes the “laser–
plasma couple” an extremely useful candidate for x-ray sources. Even a
coherent x-ray laser has been achieved under laser–plasma interactions. The
equation of state of matter is also analyzed at very high pressures and high
energy densities with the help of the laser. Today, a very popular research
fi eld in applications of high-power lasers is the nano particle matter produced
by lasers. The nano particles have been created recently through laser–mat-
ter interactions.
As is well known, basic research is used for application purposes. In our
book, the application of the laser–plasma couple is used for carrying out
basic research. This includes nuclear physics, elementary particle physics,
and basic quantum mechanics.
ix