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X-ray production with subpicosecond laser pulses

Conference · · AIP Conference Proceedings (American Institute of Physics); (United States)
OSTI ID:6597262
; ; ; ; ;  [1]
  1. Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545 (United States)

The interaction of intense, subpicosecond laser pulses with solid targets produces intense picosecond x-ray pulses. With focused laser pulses of several 10[sup 18] W/cm[sup 2], He-like and H-like line radiation from targets such as aluminum and silicon has been produced. The energy conversion efficiency from the laser pulse energy to the 1--2 keV line x-rays is nearly one percent. The duration of the line x-ray radiation is of the order of ten picoseconds, although this may be an upper estimate because of the temporal resolution of the x-ray streak camera. The spatial extent of the x-ray source region is only slightly larger than the laser focal spot, or about 10 [mu]m in diameter. Given these characteristics, such x-ray sources emit an intensity of nearly 10[sup 14] W/cm[sup 2]. Experiments and modeling which led to the above conclusions will be discussed. [copyright] 1994 [ital American] [ital Institute] [ital of] [ital Physics]

DOE Contract Number:
W-7405-ENG-36
OSTI ID:
6597262
Report Number(s):
CONF-931048--
Journal Information:
AIP Conference Proceedings (American Institute of Physics); (United States), Journal Name: AIP Conference Proceedings (American Institute of Physics); (United States) Vol. 318:1; ISSN APCPCS; ISSN 0094-243X
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English