Application Of Nomarski Interference System In Supersonic Gas-Jet Target Diagnosis

Supersonic gas-jet target performs an important role in laser wakefield acceleration, and its density diagnosis is a significant part of target characteristic study. In this paper, a Mach-Zehnder and Nomarski interference system is set up and used for gas-jet target density diagnosis. We have investigated and compared the performance of the Mach-Zehnder part and Nomarski part. The feasibility of the Nomarski interferometer with vertical fringes has been verified. Moreover, it shows better stability and has a more compact structure, beneficial for obtaining more accurate and effective target density characterization in laser wakefield acceleration.