• High Power Laser Science and Engineering
  • Vol. , Issue , ()
Ehret Michael, Cikhardt Jakub, Bradford Philip, Vladisavlevici Iuliana, Burian Tomas, De Luis Diego , Henares Jose Luis, Martin Ruben, Apiñnaniz jon, Lera Roberto, Pérez-Hernández Jose Antonio, Santos João Jorge, gatti giancarlo
Author Affiliations
  • Centro de Laseres Pulsados Ultracortos Ultraintensos
  • Czech Technical University in Prague Faculty of Electrical Engineering
  • Centre des Lasers Intenses et Applications
  • CLPU
  • Univ. Bordeaux
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    Abstract

    We report the first high-repetition rate generation and simultaneous characterization of nanosecond-scale return currents of kA-magnitude issued by the polarization of a target irradiated with a PW-class high-repetition-rate Ti:Sa laser system at relativistic intensities. We present experimental results obtained with the VEGA-3 laser at intensities from 5e18-1.3e20Wcm-2. A non-invasive inductive return-current monitor is adopted to measure the derivative of return-currents on the order of kA/ns and analysis methodology is developed to derive return-currents. We compare the current for copper, aluminium and Kapton targets at different laser energies. The data shows the stable production of current peaks and clear prospects for the tailoring of the pulse shape, promising for future applications in high energy density science, e.g. electromagnetic interference stress tests, high-voltage pulse response measurements, and charged particle beam lensing. We compare the target discharge of the order of hundreds of nC with theoretical predictions and a good agreement is found.
    Manuscript Accepted: Mar. 7, 2024
    Posted: Mar. 8, 2024