Imaging backscattered and near to backscattered light in ignition scale plasmas (invited)

Diagnostics have been developed and fielded at the Nova laser facility that, for the first time, image nearly all the Light scattered within 20 degrees of the laser axis, including the light collected by the laser focusing lens as well as that just outside the lens. Absolute calibration of optical components exposed to the target debris have been achieved by a combination of routine in situ calibration and maintenance. Measurements from plasmas relevant to ignition experiments indicate that scattering is peaked in the direction of backscatter with significant energy scattered both into the lens and just outside the lens. The scattering outside the lens is found to be dominant when the f number is large (f/8). (C) 1997 American Institute of Physics.