Planar streak camera laser-driven shockwave studies

High pressure equation-of-state parameter determination is now possible using a high-energy laser to drive shock waves into a multiple foil target. Progress in the design of streak cameras and targets has reduced the errors and uncertainties in impedance-match measurements to about 5 to 10%, and further improvements are expected in the near future. Initial measurements are reported for pressures in the few-megabar region for gold and aluminum.