The measurement of resistivity in a compressed material within a diamond anvil cell presents significant challenges. The high-pressure experimental setup makes it difficult to directly measure the size changes induced by pressure in the three crystallographic directions of the sample. In this study, we introduce a novel and effective method that addresses these technical challenges. This method is anticipated to offer a valuable foundation for high-pressure investigations on quantum materials, particularly those with anisotropic layered structures.

The achievement of ignition at the National Ignition Facility (NIF) has prompted a global wave of further research on inertial fusion energy (IFE). However, IFE requires a target gain G of 30–100, and it is hard to achieve fusion at such high gain with the energy, configuration, and technical approach of the NIF. Here, we present a conceptual design for a next-generation laser driver that is applicable to multiple laser fusion schemes and provides 10 MJ, 2–3 PW at 3ω (or 2ω, in which case the energy and power can be higher), and one shot per 30 min, with the aim of achieving G > 30. It is also efficient, compact, and low in cost, and it has low susceptibility to laser–plasma instabilities.

The newly built Compact Laser Plasma Accelerator–Therapy facility at Peking University will deliver 60 J/1 Hz laser pulses with 30 fs duration. Driven by this petawatt laser facility, proton beams with energy up to 200 MeV are expected to be generated for tumor therapy. During high-repetition operation, both prompt radiation and residual radiation may cause safety problems. Therefore, human radiological safety assessment before commissioning is essential. In this paper, we simulate both prompt and residual radiation using the Geant4 and FLUKA Monte Carlo codes with reasonable proton and as-produced electron beam parameters. We find that the prompt radiation can be shielded well by the concrete wall of the experimental hall, but the risk from residual radiation is nonnegligible and necessitates adequate radiation cooling. On the basis of the simulation results, we discuss the constraints imposed by radiation safety considerations on the annual working time, and we propose radiation cooling strategies for different shooting modes.

Realizing the full potential of ultrahigh-intensity lasers for particle and radiation generation will require multi-beam arrangements due to technology limitations. Here, we investigate how to optimize their coupling with solid targets. Experimentally, we show that overlapping two intense lasers in a mirror-like configuration onto a solid with a large preplasma can greatly improve the generation of hot electrons at the target front and ion acceleration at the target backside. The underlying mechanisms are analyzed through multidimensional particle-in-cell simulations, revealing that the self-induced magnetic fields driven by the two laser beams at the target front are susceptible to reconnection, which is one possible mechanism to boost electron energization. In addition, the resistive magnetic field generated during the transport of the hot electrons in the target bulk tends to improve their collimation. Our simulations also indicate that such effects can be further enhanced by overlapping more than two laser beams.

Slits have been widely used in laser–plasma interactions as plasma optical components for generating high-harmonic light and controlling laser-driven particle beams. Here, we propose and demonstrate that periodic thin slits can be regarded as a new breed of optical elements for efficient focusing and guiding of intense laser pulse. The fundamental physics of intense laser interaction with thin slits is studied, and it is revealed that relativistic effects can lead to enhanced laser focusing far beyond the pure diffractive focusing regime. In addition, the interaction of an intense laser pulse with periodic thin slits makes it feasible to achieve multifold enhancement in both laser intensity and energy transfer efficiency compared with conventional waveguides. These results provide a novel method for manipulating ultra-intense laser pulses and should be of interest for many laser-based applications.

We investigate the dynamics of convergent shock compression in solid cylindrical targets irradiated by an ultrafast relativistic laser pulse. Our particle-in-cell simulations and coupled hydrodynamic simulations reveal that the compression process is initiated by both magnetic pressure and surface ablation associated with a strong transient surface return current with density of the order of 1017 A/m2 and lifetime of 100 fs. The results show that the dominant compression mechanism is governed by the plasma β, i.e., the ratio of thermal pressure to magnetic pressure. For targets with small radius and low atomic number Z, the magnetic pressure is the dominant shock compression mechanism. According to a scaling law, as the target radius and Z increase, the surface ablation pressure becomes the main mechanism generating convergent shocks. Furthermore, an indirect experimental indication of shocked hydrogen compression is provided by optical shadowgraphy measurements of the evolution of the plasma expansion diameter. The results presented here provide a novel basis for the generation of extremely high pressures exceeding Gbar (100 TPa) to enable the investigation of high-pressure physics using femtosecond J-level laser pulses, offering an alternative to nanosecond kJ-laser pulse-driven and pulsed power Z-pinch compression methods.

Ultrahigh-temperature–pressure experiments are crucial for understanding the physical and chemical properties of matter. The recent development of boron-doped diamond (BDD) heaters has made such melting experiments possible in large-volume presses. However, estimates of temperatures above 2600 K and of the temperature distributions inside BDD heaters are not well constrained, owing to the lack of a suitable thermometer. Here, we establish a three-dimensional finite element model as a virtual thermometer to estimate the temperature and temperature field above 2600 K. The advantage of this virtual thermometer over those proposed in previous studies is that it considers both alternating and direct current heating modes, the actual sizes of cell assemblies after compression, the effects of the electrode, thermocouple and anvil, and the heat dissipation by the pressure-transmitting medium. The virtual thermometer reproduces the power–temperature relationships of ultrahigh-temperature–pressure experiments below 2600 K at press loads of 2.8–7.9 MN (∼19 to 28 GPa) within experimental uncertainties. The temperatures above 2600 K predicted by our virtual thermometer are within the uncertainty of those extrapolated from power–temperature relationships below 2600 K. Furthermore, our model shows that the temperature distribution inside a BDD heater (19–26 K/mm along the radial direction and <83 K/mm along the longitudinal direction) is more homogeneous than those inside conventional heaters such as graphite or LaCrO3 heaters (100–200 K/mm). Our study thus provides a reliable virtual thermometer for ultrahigh-temperature experiments using BDD heaters in Earth and material sciences.

We examine electron kinetic effects in broadband-laser-driven back-stimulated Raman scattering (BSRS) bursts using particle-in-cell simulations. These bursts occur during the nonlinear stage, causing reflectivity spikes and generating large numbers of hot electrons. Long-duration simulations are performed to observe burst events, and a simplified model is developed to eliminate the interference of the broadband laser’s random intensity fluctuations. Using the simplified model, we isolate and characterize the spectrum of electron plasma waves. The spectrum changes from a sideband structure to a turbulence-like structure during the burst. A significant asymmetry in the spectrum is observed. This asymmetry is amplified and transferred to electron phase space by high-intensity broadband laser pulses, leading to violent vortex-merging and generation of hot electrons. The proportion of hot electrons increases from 6.76% to 14.7% during a single violent burst event. We demonstrate that kinetic effects profoundly influence the BSRS evolution driven by broadband lasers.

We present measurements of the 2p-3d transition opacity of a hot molybdenum–scandium sample with nearly half-vacant molybdenum M-shell configurations. A plastic-tamped molybdenum–scandium foil sample is radiatively heated to high temperature in a compact D-shaped gold Hohlraum driven by ∼30 kJ laser energy at the SG-100 kJ laser facility. X rays transmitted through the molybdenum and scandium plasmas are diffracted by crystals and finally recorded by image plates. The electron temperatures in the sample in particular spatial and temporal zones are determined by the K-shell absorption of the scandium plasma. A combination of the IRAD3D view factor code and the MULTI hydrodynamic code is used to simulate the spatial distribution and temporal behavior of the sample temperature and density. The inferred temperature in the molybdenum plasma reaches a average of 138 ± 11 eV. A detailed configuration-accounting calculation of the n = 2–3 transition absorption of the molybdenum plasma is compared with experimental measurements and quite good agreement is found. The present measurements provide an opportunity to test opacity models for complicated M-shell configurations.

We present in situ measurements of spectrally resolved X-ray scattering and X-ray diffraction from monocrystalline diamond samples heated with an intense pulse of heavy ions. In this way, we determine the samples’ heating dynamics and their microscopic and macroscopic structural integrity over a timespan of several microseconds. Connecting the ratio of elastic to inelastic scattering with state-of-the-art density functional theory molecular dynamics simulations allows the inference of average temperatures around 1300 K, in agreement with predictions from stopping power calculations. The simultaneous diffraction measurements show no hints of any volumetric graphitization of the material, but do indicate the onset of fracture in the diamond sample. Our experiments pave the way for future studies at the Facility for Antiproton and Ion Research, where a substantially increased intensity of the heavy ion beam will be available.

Single-shot X-ray phase-contrast imaging is used to take high-resolution images of laser-driven strong shock waves. Employing a two-grating Talbot interferometer, we successfully acquire standard absorption, differential phase-contrast, and dark-field images of the shocked target. Good agreement is demonstrated between experimental data and the results of two-dimensional radiation hydrodynamics simulations of the laser–plasma interaction. The main sources of image noise are identified through a thorough assessment of the interferometer’s performance. The acquired images demonstrate that grating-based phase-contrast imaging is a powerful diagnostic tool for high-energy-density science. In addition, we make a novel attempt at using the dark-field image as a signal modality of Talbot interferometry to identify the microstructure of a foam target.