Flyer acceleration by high-power laser and impact experiments at velocities higher than 10 km/s

Abstract

Flyer acceleration technique using high-power lasers has several advantages such as the achieved velocities higher than 10 km/s and non-contamination to the products generated by impacts. In this study, we show that a high-power laser can achieve impact velocities higher than 10 km/s up to 60 km/s using sheet flyers with a diameter of ∼ 0.5 mm and a thickness of ∼ 30 - 50 μm and spherical projectiles with a diameter of 0.1 - 0.3 mm. We discuss the difference between sheet and spherical flyers in the energy transfer efficiency from laser energy to flyer kinetic energy. © 2012 American Institute of Physics.