X-ray Thomson scattering measurements of temperature and density from multi-shocked CH capsules

Journal Article · Wed May 15 00:00:00 EDT 2013 · Physics of Plasmas

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4807032· OSTI ID:22228105

Fletcher, L. B. ^[1]; Kritcher, A.; Pak, A.; Ma, T.; Döppner, T.; Divol, L.; Landen, O. L.; Glenzer, S. H. ^[2]; Fortmann, C. ^[2]; Vorberger, J.; Gericke, D. O. ^[3]; Chapman, D. A. ^[3]; Falcone, R. W. ^[1]

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1. Department of Physics, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720 (United States)
2. Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, 7000 East Av., Livermore, California 94550 (United States)
3. Department of Physics, Centre for Fusion, Space, and Astrophysics, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL (United Kingdom)

Proof-of-principle measurements of the electron densities, temperatures, and ionization states of spherically compressed multi-shocked CH (polystyrene) capsules have been achieved using spectrally resolved x-ray Thomson scattering. A total energy of 13.5 kJ incident on target is used to compress a 70 μm thick CH shell above solid-mass density using three coalescing shocks. Separately, a laser-produced zinc He-α x-ray source at 9 keV delayed 200 ps-800 ps after maximum compression is used to probe the plasma in the non-collective scattering regime. The data show that x-ray Thomson scattering enables a complete description of the time-dependent hydrodynamic evolution of shock-compressed CH capsules, with a maximum measured density of ρ > 6 g cm{sup −3}. In addition, the results demonstrate that accurate measurements of x-ray scattering from bound-free transitions in the CH plasma demonstrate strong evidence that continuum lowering is the primary ionization mechanism of carbon L-shell electrons.

• OSTI ID: 22228105
• Journal Information: Physics of Plasmas, Vol. 20, Issue 5; Other Information: (c) 2013 AIP Publishing LLC; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 1070-664X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
CAPSULES
CARBON
COMPRESSION
ELECTRON DENSITY
ELECTRON TEMPERATURE
ELECTRONS
ENERGY-LEVEL TRANSITIONS
HYDRODYNAMICS
ION TEMPERATURE
L SHELL
LASER-PRODUCED PLASMA
PLASMA DENSITY
PLASMA DIAGNOSTICS
POLYSTYRENE
SHOCK WAVES
THOMSON SCATTERING
X RADIATION
X-RAY DIFFRACTION
ZINC