Production of hot near-solid-density plasma by electron energy transport in a laser-produced plasma

Targets with a layer of aluminum buried beneath a plastic overlay have been irradiated with 0.53 1/4m wavelength, 20-ps pulse length light at (12)×1016 W cm-2. The widths of Stark broadened Al xii 1s21S01s3p P11 spectral lines and the ratios of satellite line intensities to the Al xii 1s2m S011s2p P11 spectral line emitted from the aluminum layer imply electron densities up to (68)×1022 cm-3. This result is a direct observation of significant energy transport to densities close to solid. © 1989 The American Physical Society