Using a high-power femtosecond frequency-doubled Nd:glass laser system with a contrast ratio of 10¹², the interaction between light and matter up to intensities of 10¹⁹ W cm^-2has been investigated. The absorption of the laser light in solid aluminum is almost independent of the polarization, peaks at about 25^∘, and reaches values of almost 45%. Assuming an exponential electron distribution, a temperature of 420 keV at 4×10¹⁸ W cm^-2was measured. These experiments and the detection of the hard-x-ray radiation (60 keV--1 MeV) implied a conversion efficiency of 10^-4--10^-3 into suprathermal electrons. A second low-energy electron distribution either with trajectories mainly parallel to the target surface or with a reduced penetration depth due to flux inhibition was also inferred from Kα line radiation measurements.
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Feurer et al. (1997) studied this question.