Measuring huge magnetic fields (original) (raw)

• Brief Communication
• Published: 17 January 2002

Laser technology

• I. Watts1,
• F. N. Beg1,
• E. L. Clark1,
• A. E. Dangor1,
• A. Gopal1,
• M. G. Haines1,
• P. A. Norreys2,
• U. Wagner2,
• M.-S. Wei1,
• M. Zepf1 &
• …
• K. Krushelnick1

Nature volume 415, page 280 (2002) Cite this article

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Abstract

Huge magnetic fields are predicted1,2,3,4 to exist in the high-density region of plasmas produced during intense laser–matter interaction, near the critical-density surface where most laser absorption occurs, but until now these fields have never been measured. By using pulses focused to extreme intensities to investigate laser–plasma interactions5, we have been able to record the highest magnetic fields ever produced in a laboratory – over 340 megagauss – by polarimetry measurements of self-generated laser harmonics.

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Figure 1: Laboratory measurement of magnetic fields greater than 340 megagauss.

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Authors and Affiliations

1. The Blackett Laboratory, Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine, London, SW7 2BZ, UK
   M. Tatarakis, I. Watts, F. N. Beg, E. L. Clark, A. E. Dangor, A. Gopal, M. G. Haines, M.-S. Wei, M. Zepf & K. Krushelnick
2. Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Chilton, Didcot, Oxfordshire, OX11 0QX, UK
   P. A. Norreys & U. Wagner

Authors

1. M. Tatarakis
2. I. Watts
3. F. N. Beg
4. E. L. Clark
5. A. E. Dangor
6. A. Gopal
7. M. G. Haines
8. P. A. Norreys
9. U. Wagner
10. M.-S. Wei
11. M. Zepf
12. K. Krushelnick

Corresponding author

Correspondence toM. Tatarakis.

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Tatarakis, M., Watts, I., Beg, F. et al. Measuring huge magnetic fields.Nature 415, 280 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1038/415280a

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• Issue date: 17 January 2002
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/415280a

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