Spallation studies in aluminum targets using shock waves induced by laser irradiation at various pulse durations

The conditions of laser-driven shock wave loading lead to the study of the dynamic fracture in an unusual range of stress and strain rates: 20–200 GPa and more than 107 s−1. A cumulative damage criterion for the spallation process has been included in a one-dimensional finite difference hydrodynamic code. Numerical studies show the effect of different parameters: laser-pulse duration, peak induced pressure related to the incident intensity, and target thickness. The simulation results are in agreement with spallation shock-laser experiments on aluminum targets of various thicknesses irradiated by laser pulses of durations between 0.6 and 25 ns with an incident intensity of about 1012 W/cm2 .