Electron density and temperature contour plots from a laser-produced plasma using collective ultraviolet Thomson scattering

Scattered light diagnostics offer the attractive possibility of extracting detailed spatial information about the distribution of ions and electrons and associated plasma parameters in high-density plasmas that are relevant to inertial confinement fusion (ICF). Here, temporally integrated ultraviolet collective Thomson scattering measurements were performed with frequency-quadrupled Nd:YAG laser radiation on an underdense long-scale length aluminum plasma (nc ∼ 1021 cm-3, Z ∼ 7, Te ∼ Ti ≥ 50 eV, L ≥ 100 microm). The plasma was preformed by an Nd:YAG fundamental beam (1.06 microm) with focusable intensities of 1011 W/cm2. Color images of two-dimensional (2-D) spatially resolved (30 microm) electron density and electron temperature were obtained. These are the shortest wavelength Thomson scattering measurements on a plasma to date