Plasma-accelerated flyer-plates for equation of state studies.
Rev Sci Instrum
; 83(7): 073504, 2012 Jul.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-22852692
ABSTRACT
We report on a new technique to accelerate flyer-plates to high velocities (â¼5 km/s). In this work, a strong shock is created through direct laser ablation of a thin polyimide foil. Subsequent shock breakout of that foil results in the generation of a plasma characterized by a smoothly increasing density gradient and a strong forward momentum. Stagnation of this plasma onto an aluminum foil and the resultant momentum transfer accelerates a thin aluminum flyer-plate. The aluminum flyer-plate is then accelerated to a peak velocity of â¼5 km/s before impact with a transparent lithium fluoride (LiF) window. Simulations of the stagnating plasma ramp compression and wave reverberations within the flyer-plate suggest that the temperature at the flyer-plate impact surface is elevated by less than 50 °C. Optical velocimetry is used to measure the flyer-plate velocity and impact conditions enabling the shocked refractive index of LiF to be determined. The results presented here are in agreement with conventional flyer-plate measurements validating the use of plasma-accelerated flyer-plates for equation of state and impact studies.
Full text:
1
Collection:
01-internacional
Database:
MEDLINE
Language:
En
Journal:
Rev Sci Instrum
Year:
2012
Document type:
Article
Affiliation country:
United States