Direct and secondary nuclear excitation with x-ray free-electron lasers
- Max-Planck-Institut für Kernphysik, Saupfercheckweg 1, D-69117 Heidelberg (Germany)
The direct and secondary nuclear excitation produced by an x-ray free electron laser when interacting with a solid-state nuclear target is investigated theoretically. When driven at the resonance energy, the x-ray free electron laser can produce direct photoexcitation. However, the dominant process in that interaction is the photoelectric effect producing a cold and very dense plasma in which also secondary processes such as nuclear excitation by electron capture may occur. We develop a realistic theoretical model to quantify the temporal dynamics of the plasma and the magnitude of the secondary excitation therein. Numerical results show that depending on the nuclear transition energy and the temperature and charge states reached in the plasma, secondary nuclear excitation by electron capture may dominate the direct photoexcitation by several orders of magnitude, as it is the case for the 4.8 keV transition from the isomeric state of {sup 93}Mo, or it can be negligible, as it is the case for the 14.4 keV Mössbauer transition in {sup 57}Fe. These findings are most relevant for future nuclear quantum optics experiments at x-ray free electron laser facilities.
- OSTI ID:
- 22489849
- Journal Information:
- Physics of Plasmas, Vol. 22, Issue 11; Other Information: (c) 2015 AIP Publishing LLC; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 1070-664X
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Nanoscale femtosecond imaging of transient hot solid density plasmas with elemental and charge state sensitivity using resonant coherent diffraction
Internal electron conversion of the isomeric {sup 57}Fe nucleus state with an energy of 14.4 keV excited by the radiation of the plasma of a high-power femtosecond laser pulse