Scaling of thin wire cylindrical compression after 100 fs Joule surface heating with material, diameter and laser energy

TL;DR

This study experimentally validates how return current-driven implosion in micrometer wires scales with material, diameter, and laser energy using advanced imaging and simulations, refining predictive models in high-energy-density physics.

Contribution

It provides the first systematic experimental validation of scaling laws for return-current-driven implosion in micrometer wires irradiated by femtosecond lasers.

Findings

Return current density depends on wire diameter, material, and laser energy.

Deviations from simple models are due to electron escape dynamics.

Results refine scaling laws for high-energy-density physics applications.

Abstract

We present the first systematic experimental validation of return-current-driven implosion scaling in micrometer-sized wires irradiated by femtosecond laser pulses. Employing XFEL-based imaging with sub-micrometer spatial and femtosecond temporal resolution, supported by hydrodynamic and particle-in-cell simulations, we reveal how return current density depends precisely on wire diameter, material properties, and incident laser energy. We identify deviations from simple theoretical predictions due to geometrically influenced electron escape dynamics. These results refine and confirm the scaling laws essential for predictive modeling in high-energy-density physics and inertial fusion research.