Abstract.
We report on new possibilities to generate solid-density plasma at extreme energy density by intense VUV beams. Here we consider 100 fs pulses of 30 eV photons focused to 1016 and 1018 W/cm2. The temperature evolution in 50 nm thick aluminum foils is discussed on the basis of simulations, performed with the one-dimensional radiation hydrodynamics code MULTI-fs. For 30 eV photons, the foil is shown to switch from transmission to reflection mode on a femto-second time-scale; this is due to the rapid change of the plasma frequency during laser heating which may turn an initially transparent Al-foil into an opaque one. The switching-time depends on the intensity of the laser pulse. Also layered heating structures inside the foil are discussed which occur due to reflection at the rear surface.
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Krenz, A., Meyer-ter-Vehn, J. VUV-heating of plasma layers and their use as ultrafast switches. Eur. Phys. J. D 36, 199–202 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1140/epjd/e2005-00262-x
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1140/epjd/e2005-00262-x