Laser-Plasma Interactions at 0.53 μm for Disk Targets of VaryingZ

Disk targets of Be, CH, Ti, and Au have been irradiated with 0.53-μm laser light in 3-30-J, 600-ps pulses, at intensities from 3×${10}^{13}$ to ∼4×${10}^{15}$ W/${\mathrm{cm}}^2$. The measured absorptions, hard-x-ray fluxes, and sub-keV emission properties are compared with hydrocode simulations. The results show strong collisional absorption, some Brillouin scattering, little suprathermal electron production, and efficient conversion of absorbed energy into sub-keV x rays, in general accord with wavelength-scaling predictions.