The prospects for achieving ultrastrong magnetic fields is of fundamental significance to engineers and physicists who are concerned with challenging current limits of physical understanding and innovative technological achievement. An exploratory theoretical study, based on previous NSF supported work (ECS-8614652), is proposed on a new approach to ultrastrong magnetic field generation. The new approach includes induction of return-electron-currents driven by laser beams and magnetic flux compression by laser implosion. The proposed concept may be capable of producing magnetic fields limited in magnitude only by the brightness of available laser sources. Theoretically, there appears no limit on the magnetic field strength that can be generated by the method of laser irradiation. With the proposed approach, magnetic fields of up to 100 MG at rising speeds higher than 100 MG in 100 psec can be achieved essentially without modification of existing laser facilities. Potential applications include microparticle acceleration, studies of geological and industrial material samples under extreme pressure conditions, simulation of an EMP and study of its effects on high-Tc materials and semiconductors, solid state physics, high-energy-density physics and developments of high energy radiation sources. This work is intended to provide a theoretical model for future experimental efforts to bring the concept up to the level of practical applications.
