In this context I was envisioning the chaff not as a targeting disruptor like usual, but more a cloud of launched EM absorbing material functioning kinda like reactive armour on tanks. Even as it gets vaporised it's still matter instead of vacuum, choose the right elements and it can continue to absorb or deflect a significant portion of energy at the right wavelengths even as a plasma. With that it might be possible to bring down the the delta E that actually reaches the hull down to somewhere where appropriately reflective/conductive/resistant materials can maintain integrity for a fraction or a second or longer, enough for automated retaliation maybe.

In this context I was envisioning the chaff not as a targeting disruptor like usual, but more a cloud of launched EM absorbing material functioning kinda like reactive armour on tanks. Even as it gets vaporised it's still matter instead of vacuum, choose the right elements and it can continue to absorb or deflect a significant portion of energy at the right wavelengths even as a plasma. With that it might be possible to bring down the the delta E that actually reaches the hull down to somewhere where appropriately reflective/conductive/resistant materials can maintain integrity far a fraction or a second or longer, enough for automated retaliation maybe.