Applications of Laser-Plasma Interactions

Recent advances in the development of lasers with more energy, power, and brightness have opened up new possibilities for exciting applications. Applications of Laser–Plasma Interactions reviews the current status of high power laser applications.

The book first explores the science and technology behind the ignition and burn of imploded fusion fuel, before describing novel particle accelerators. It then focuses on applications of high power x-ray sources and the development of x-ray lasers. The book also discusses how ultrahigh power lasers are used in nuclear and elementary particle physics applications as well as how the high power density of laser–plasma interactions is used to study matter under extreme conditions. The final chapters deal with femtosecond lasers, presenting applications in materials processing and nanoparticles.

With contributions from a distinguished team of researchers, this work illustrates the many applications of high power lasers, highlighting their important roles in energy, biology, nanotechnology, and more.

Shalom Eliezer studied physics at Technion University, Israel, where he received a DSc in 1971. He has published about 300 papers in scientific journals; written or co-authored 6 earlier titles, of which 2 have appeared as second editions; contributed chapters to other books; and given over 80 invited lectures at international conferences. His previous book The Interaction of High Power Lasers with Plasma is a thorough self-contained presentation of the physical processes occurring in laser-plasma interactions., Professor Eliezer is a fellow of the American Physical Society, an honorary fellow of the Institute of Nuclear Physics at the Polytechnic University of Madrid, a recipient of the Israeli Landau award for achievement in physics on the subject of laser-plasma interaction, a member of many international advisory boards, and an editorial board member of several scientific journals. His areas of research include laser-plasma interactions, nuclear fusion, high-pressure and high-energy density physics, nuclear physics, and elementary particle physics., Kunioki Mima has been serving as the director of the Institute of Laser Engineering (ILE), Osaka University, since April 2005. He received his PhD in physics at the Graduate School of Science, Kyoto University. He was appointed as an assistant professor at the Faculty of Science, Hiroshima University, and then moved on to Osaka University in 1975. Since then, he has worked at Bell Telephone Laboratory, Murray Hill, New Jersey and at UCLA from 1975 to 1977. In 1984, he was appointed as a full professor at ILE. From 1995 to 1999, he served as the director of ILE to initiate the fact ignition research. He is the general co-chair of the International Conference on Inertial Fusion Sciences and Applications (IFSA). The 5th IFSA was held from September 9 to 14 at Kobe, Japan. He is also the vice president of the Japan Society of Plasma Science and Nuclear Fusion Research. He is a fellow of the American Physical Society (APS