Generation of a strong magnetic field by an intenseCO2laser pulse

A strong magnetic field of 600 kG (60 T) is generated at the center of a 2-mm-diam one-turn coil in which the current is driven by a ${\mathrm{CO}}_2$ laser. The magnetic field, current, and voltage are measured as functions of the separation distance of the gap where the high voltage is induced by the laser irradiation in the coil loop at a fixed intensity of 1.3×${10}^{14}$ W/${\mathrm{cm}}^2$. These results are analyzed on the basis of hot-electron E×B drift and plasma expansion inside the gap. The analysis indicates how to design the target and the laser pulse for generation of a magnetic field of a few megagauss.