Characterization of a high-density large scale pulsed gas jet for laser-gas interaction experiments

We present the characteristics of a high-density pulsed gas jet developed to study the interaction of a short-pulse, high-intensity laser with a large scale underdense plasma. The jet was characterized by laser interferometry. Measurements of density profile were performed for a 5 mm diam cylindrical nozzle and for a 20×1 mm slit. In this latter case, a systematic study of the output density as a function of the backing pressure and of the valve opening duration is presented. At 1 mm from its outlet, the cylindrical nozzle provides densities up to 6.9 × 1019cm-3 for an 8 bar backing pressure with a 3 mm full width at half maximum Gaussian-shaped profile. Under the same conditions, the slit produces a 20 mm long flat-top profile with a maximum density of 2.1 × 1019 cm-3. © 1999 American Institute of Physics.