Miniature shock tube for laser driven shocks

Abstract

We describe in this paper the design of a miniature shock tube (smaller than 1 cm3) that can be placed in a vacuum vessel and allows transverse optical probing and longitudinal backside extreme ultraviolet emission spectroscopy in the 100-500 Å range. Typical application is the study of laser launched radiative shocks, in the framework of what is called "laboratory astrophysics." © 2010 American Institute of Physics.