Shock wave generation in thin foils using lasers and ion beams

The shock pressures generated in the interaction of lasers and light ion beams with thin foils are compared using a one-dimensional hydrodynamic computer code. Using the next generation of proton beam machines at powers of approximately 100 TW, pressure of 25 Mb may be attainable. Similar pressures can be generated with the 1 TW Nd-glass lasers that are currently operating. Much higher pressures should be obtained using lasers at high intensities but the large numbers of high-energy electrons produced in the interaction preheat the target foil making interpretation of experiments difficult. By converting the laser system to the third harmonic (0.35 mu m) it should be possible to achieve pressures in excess of 50 Mb in a preheat-free environment.