Dynamic behavior of rippled shock waves and subsequently induced areal-density-perturbation growth in laser-irradiated foils.

Polystyrene foils with surface ripples of 60 or 100 p, m wavelength were irradiated by 0.53 p, m laser light at an intensity of 4 X 10" W/cm . Phase inversion of the rippled shock front was observed at a shock-propagation distance equal to the ripple wavelength. It has been found that the growth of the areal-density perturbation prior to shock breakout is due predominantly to the rippled-shock propagation.