Simulation studies of the interaction of laser radiation with additively manufactured foams
- 1 April 2021
- journal article
- research article
- Published by IOP Publishing in Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion
- Vol. 63 (5), 055009
- https://doi.org/10.1088/1361-6587/abe353
Abstract
The interaction of laser radiation with foams of various porosities and low densities has been the subject of several numerical and experimental studies (Nicolai et al 2012 Phys. Plasmas 19 113105; Perez et al 2014 Phys. Plasmas 21 023102). In all cases, the modeling of low-Z under-dense foams as uniform gases of equivalent average density using standard radiation-hydrodynamics codes has resulted in heat-front velocities that are considerably faster than those observed experimentally. It has been theoretically conjectured that this difference may be attributed to the breakdown of the foam's morphology, leading to a dynamics of filament expansion where the ion and electron energy partitions are significantly different from those calculated using the uniform gas model. We found that 3D computer simulations employing a disconnected representation of the foam's microstructure which allowed for the dynamics of foam element heating, expansion, and stagnation largely supported the theoretical picture. Simulations using this model for laser experiments on under-dense 2 mg cc(-1) SiO2 aerogel foams (Mariscal et al 2021 Phys. Plasmas 28 013106) reproduced the experimental data fairly well. We used the validated model in simulations of low-density structured foam-like materials (produced via additive manufacturing) with a variety of morphologies. We found that the log-pile configurations were consistent with the analytical propagation model of Gus'kov et al (2011 Phys. Plasmas 18 103114). Further validation of the model was obtained by simulating experiments performed at the Jupiter Laser Facility using the log-pile and octet-truss foam morphologies. Simulations of the foam-laser interaction using a wave propagation code showed that the microstructure was able to enhance stimulated Brillouin scattering (SBS) by concentrating the light energy into density holes. In turn, this promotes laser filamentation, reducing SBS and bringing the predicted values closer to the experimental data.Keywords
Funding Information
- US Department of Energy (LDRD-17-ERD-118)
This publication has 57 references indexed in Scilit:
- Three‐dimensional optical laser lithography beyond the diffraction limitLaser & Photonics Reviews, 2012
- Laser Smoothing and Imprint Reduction with a Foam Layer in the Multikilojoule RegimePhysical Review Letters, 2009
- Mitigation of stimulated Raman scattering in hohlraum plasmasJournal of Physics: Conference Series, 2008
- Short-Pulse Laser Damage in Transparent Materials as a Function of Pulse DurationPhysical Review Letters, 1999
- Stimulated Raman and Brillouin scattering of polarization-smoothed and temporally smoothed laser beamsPhysics of Plasmas, 1999
- Interaction of laser radiation with a porous medium and formation of a nonequilibrium plasmaQuantum Electronics, 1997
- Initial performance results of the OMEGA laser systemOptics Communications, 1997
- Time-resolved x-ray imaging of high-power laser-irradiated underdense silica aerogels and agar foamsPhysics of Plasmas, 1995
- Transport and sound waves in plasmas with light and heavy ionsPhysical Review E, 1994
- Laser Compression of Matter to Super-High Densities: Thermonuclear (CTR) ApplicationsNature, 1972