Simultaneous measurement of laser-induced shock wave and released particle velocities at Mbar pressure

We show the feasibility of simultaneous measurement of shock velocity and released particle velocity after shock at Mbar pressure. The shock wave is driven by a laser pulse of 1.2 ps duration (full width at half maximum), with the intensity of similar to10(14) W/cm(2) at 785 nm, irradiating a 500-nm-thick aluminum foil. A chirped laser pulse split from the main pulse is applied to detect the shock breakout process at the rear surface of the target based on frequency domain interferometry. The mean shock velocity determination benefits from the precise synchronization (<100 fs resolution) of the shock pump and probe laser pulse, which is calculated from the time the shock takes to travel the 500-nm-thick aluminum. The released particle velocity determination takes advantage of the chirped pulse frequency domain interferometry. The two measured parameters are self-consistent. (C) 2003 American Institute of Physics.