Study of colliding dense foils accelerated by high-power laser radiation

Results are presented from experimental investigations of collisions between dense aluminum and mylar foils of micron thickness accelerated by high-power laser radiation [{lambda} = 1.054 {mu}m, I = (5-7)]{center_dot}10{sup 13} W/cm{sup 2}, pulse length 2 ns. The {open_quotes}method of induced opacity{close_quotes} developed in the present work allows the density of the accelerated plasma foil to be estimated when it strikes a fixed obstacle. The experimental data and the results of numerical simulations show that a {open_quotes}soft{close_quotes} acceleration regime can occur in a two-stage scheme, in which a thin-film target is accelerated by the action of a plasmoid incident on it to several tens of kilometers per second while maintaining its condensed state. 28 refs., 11 figs., 1 tab.