High-power laser interaction with low-density C–Cu foams

We study the propagation of high-power laser beams in micro-structured carbon foams by monitoring the x-ray output from deliberately introduced Cu content. In particular, we characterize this phenomenon measuring absolute time-resolved x-ray yields, time-resolved x-ray imaging, and x-ray spectroscopy. New experimental results for C–Cu foams show a faster heat front velocity than simulation that assumed homogeneous plasma. We suggest the foam micro-structure may explain this trend.