Plasmas with index of refraction greater than one

Journal Article · Wed Jun 23 04:00:00 EDT 2004 · Optics Letters

OSTI ID:15014335

Nilsen, J; Scofield, J H

Over the last decade, X-ray lasers in the wavelength range14 - 47 nm have been used to do interferometry of plasmas. Just as for optical interferometry of plasmas, the experimental analysis assumed that the index of refraction is due only to the free electrons. This makes the index of refraction less then one. Recent experiments in Al plasmas have observed fringe lines bend the wrong way as though the electron density is negative. We show how the bound electrons can dominate the index of refraction in many plasmas and make the index greater than one or enhance the index such that one would greatly overestimate the density of the plasma using interferometry.

• Research Organization: Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, CA
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-48
• OSTI ID: 15014335
• Report Number(s): UCRL-JRNL-204901
• Journal Information: Optics Letters, Journal Name: Optics Letters Journal Issue: 22 Vol. 29; ISSN 0146-9592; ISSN OPLEDP
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
74 ATOMIC AND MOLECULAR PHYSICS
ELECTRON DENSITY
ELECTRONS
INTERFEROMETRY
PLASMA
REFRACTIVE INDEX
WAVELENGTHS
X-RAY LASERS