Supersonic gas-jet characterization with interferometry and Thomson scattering on the OMEGA Laser System.

A supersonic gas-jet target platform has been activated on the OMEGA Laser System. An analytic model for gas dynamics in a supersonic nozzle was used to predict gas-plume parameters and to design nozzles for use in laser-plasma experiments. The gas-jet system was analyzed with a Mach-Zehnder interferometer to study neutral density and with Thomson scattering to study plasma parameters on the OMEGA Laser System. These initial measurements demonstrate the capabilities of the OMEGA gas jet as a platform for future laser-plasma interaction science.