Characterizing Laser-Driven Tin Microjet Interactions*

The study of metal ejecta microjet interactions has broad applicability to fields ranging from particle dynamics modeling to materials physics [1]. Recent experiments at laser facilities have begun to study microjet formation [2], but there exist few examples of interaction studies. We present the first movies of jet-jet interactions from experiments performed on the OMEGA EP laser. Lasers drive shocks through two tin metal foils with angular trenches machined on their back surfaces. As the shocks break out, the trench features invert to form planar jets moving towards each other at speeds of several km/s. We use point-projection radiography to image the interacting jets. Jets emerging from tin releasing into solid have densities of 6 mg cm^-3, whereas jets emerging from tin releasing into liquid have densities nearly three times greater. We discuss the observed interaction dynamics for both conditions.
[1] W. T. Buttler et al., J. Dyn. Behav. Mater. 3(2), 151–155 (2017).
[2] T. de Rességuier et al., J. Appl. Phys. 124, 065106 (2018).