Shock Waves and Ablation Dynamics

When an intense laser is irradiated on a solid target, the laser energy is absorbed on the surface so that the material becomes plasma to expand into the vacuum region. Through the laser-plasma interaction, the laser energy heats the expanding region spreading by its sound velocity. As the result the expanding region has the temperature ~ 1 keV and the pressure reaches 100 Mbar (10TPa). Since the laser is absorbed near relatively high density (~cut-off density), the plasma can be assumed to be in LTE and hydrodynamic description is acceptable. The surface pressure called ablation pressure drives strong shock waves in the solid material as if the solid is almost gas. The shock wave physics is briefly reviewed to use the Rankin-Hugoniot (RH) relation, although detail studied is needed for the equation of state of the compressed matter. By use of the ablation pressure, it is possible to accelerate a thin material to higher velocity like a rocket propulsion. One dimensional hydrodynamics is reviewed for steady state and time dependent dynamics within the ideal fluid assumption. Deflagration and detonation waves are also explained as jump condition with energy deposition. The laser implosion dynamics is compered between stationary solutions, computational results, and the experimental data. The importance of validation of simulation codes is discussed.