Towards THz Conductivity Measurements on Omega EP*

THz time domain spectroscopy (TDS) measurements of dc conductivity at high energy densities (HED) will help constrain models of planetary interiors, especially planetary dynamos which are necessary to sustain life. Such measurements are within reach at the Laboratory for Laser Energetics thanks to collaborations with the Zhang Terahertz Research Group in the Institute of Optics. It has been shown that THz TDS provides a reliable method to constrain the dc conductivity of materials at extreme conditions.[1] This project develops the experimental design for THz TDS measurements on Omega. Results of a recent, spectrally integrated reflectivity measurement of high intensity THz on Si, carried out on OMEGA EP, are also presented.

 

[1] Z. Chen et al., Nat. Commun. 12, 1638 (2021).