Analytical derivation and numerical simulation of the ablation rate of a spherical target

Abstract

This paper presents a quasi-steady-state analytical model of the plasma conduction region of a spherical target, and the model is used to analyze the factors that influence the mass ablation rate during laser ablation. Unlike in the case of planar geometry, the mass ablation rate changes as the distance to the ablation front increases. For the plasma in the heat-conduction region of the spherical target under certain conditions, the new analytical model provides relevant parameters such as the density, pressure, and sound velocity, and its results align with those from one-dimensional hydrodynamic simulations. The model and results presented here are valuable resources for investigating mass ablation rates in laser fusion processes.