X-ray lasers for plasma diagnostics
- Lawrence Livermore National Lab., CA (United States)
Soft x-ray lasers have evolved from the early demonstration phase to becoming reliable xuv sources. They operate over a wide wavelength range extending from 35 to 400 {angstrom} and have output energies as high as 10 mJ in 150 ns pulses. The beam divergence of these lasers is less than 15 mrad and they have a typical linewidth of {Delta}{lambda}/{lambda} {approximately} 10{sup {minus}4} making them the brightest xuv sources available. In this talk the authors describe their use of x-ray lasers to probe high density plasmas using a variety of diagnostic techniques. Taking advantage of recently developed multilayer beam splitters they have constructed and sued a Mach-Zehnder interferometer operating at 155 {angstrom} to probe 1--3 mm size laser produced plasmas. They have also used x-ray lasers and a multilayer mirror imaging system to study hydrodynamic imprinting of laser speckle pattern on directly driven thin foils with 1--2 {micro}m spatial resolution. They are now planning a moire deflectometry to measure the electron density profile in ICF hohlraums. The results of these experiments and the limitations of these techniques will be presented. The prospects for short wavelength (10 {angstrom}) x-ray lasers which are better suited to higher density probing will also be discussed.
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-ENG-48
- OSTI ID:
- 323623
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-970559--
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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