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Title: X-ray laser interferometry for probing high-density plasmas

Conference ·
OSTI ID:104972

Collisionally pumped soft x-ray lasers now operate over a wavelength range extending from 4-40 nm. With the recent advances in the development of multilayer mirrors and beamsplitters in the soft x-ray regime, the authors can utilize the unique properties of x-ray lasers to study large, rapidly evolving laser-driven plasmas with high electron densities. Using a neon-like yttrium x-ray laser which operates at a wavelength of 15.5 nm, they have performed a series of x-ray laser interferometry experiments to characterize plasmas relevant to inertial confinement fusion. In this paper the authors describe experiments using a soft x-ray laser interferometer, operated in the Mach-Zehnder configuration, to study CH plasmas and exploding foil targets commonly used for x-ray laser targets. The two-dimensional density profiles obtained from the interferograms allow the authors to validate and benchmark their numerical models used to study the physics of laser-plasma interactions.

Research Organization:
Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
DOE Contract Number:
W-7405-ENG-48
OSTI ID:
104972
Report Number(s):
UCRL-JC-121200; CONF-950793-37; ON: DE95017295; TRN: 95:006905
Resource Relation:
Conference: 40. annual meeting of the Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers, San Diego, CA (United States), 9-14 Jul 1995; Other Information: PBD: Jun 1995
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English