Plasma based x-ray lasers used for opacity and ablation rate measurements

G. J. Tallents; M. H. Edwards; P. Mistry; D. S. Whittaker; N. Booth; H. Huang; G. J. Pert; B. Rus; T. Mocek; M. Kozlova; C. L. S. Lewis; C. McKenna; A. Delseriey; M. Notley; D. Neely

Plasma based x-ray lasers used for opacity and ablation rate measurements

G. J. Tallents
, M. H. Edwards
, P. Mistry
, D. S. Whittaker
, N. Booth
, H. Huang
, G. J. Pert
, B. Rus
, T. Mocek
, M. Kozlova
, C. L. S. Lewis
, C. McKenna
, A. Delseriey
, M. Notley
, D. Neely

Physics

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution

Abstract

Utilizing thin targets, opacities of iron have been measured using x-ray lasers of photon energy 89 eV created by pumping with the VULCAN laser. The thin targets comprise a plastic substrate, a 50 nm thick iron layer and an overlay of 100 nm CH and are separately heated by spot focus laser pulses. We have demonstrated that X-ray laser brightness is sufficient to overcome the self-emission of hot plasma so that useful opacity measurements can be made. The transmission through the targets agrees generally with the calculated transmission from a fluid code simulation coupled to the TOPS plasma opacity data. The ablation of aluminum foil with a thin (50 nm) iron coating was also observed using a neon-like zinc x-ray laser of photon energy 58 eV at the PALS centre. The x-ray laser was used to probe sample targets as they were heated by a separate laser beam of 10 J, focused to a 100 micron diameter spot. A simple calculation of the rate of ablation of the iron gives x-ray laser transmission through the targets in agreement with experiment. We suggest that x-ray laser probing can be a useful diagnostic of ablation rates in laser-plasmas.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	Superstrong Fields in Plasmas
Editors	D Batani, M Lontano
Place of Publication	MELVILLE
Publisher	American Institute of Physics
Pages	353-364
Number of pages	12
ISBN (Print)	0-7354-0319-8
Publication status	Published - 2006
Event	3rd International Conference on Superstrong Fields in Plasmas - Varenna Duration: 19 Sept 2005 → 24 Sept 2005

Conference

Conference	3rd International Conference on Superstrong Fields in Plasmas
City	Varenna
Period	19/09/05 → 24/09/05

Keywords

x-ray laser
plasma opacity
ABSORPTION-MEASUREMENTS
IRON PLASMA
SATURATION
ABUNDANCE
MODEL
NEON

Cite this

Tallents, G. J., Edwards, M. H., Mistry, P., Whittaker, D. S., Booth, N., Huang, H., Pert, G. J., Rus, B., Mocek, T., Kozlova, M., Lewis, C. L. S., McKenna, C., Delseriey, A., Notley, M., & Neely, D. (2006). Plasma based x-ray lasers used for opacity and ablation rate measurements. In D. Batani, & M. Lontano (Eds.), Superstrong Fields in Plasmas (pp. 353-364). American Institute of Physics.

@inproceedings{3e1b299091d04b869717b841f41b2277,

title = "Plasma based x-ray lasers used for opacity and ablation rate measurements",

abstract = "Utilizing thin targets, opacities of iron have been measured using x-ray lasers of photon energy 89 eV created by pumping with the VULCAN laser. The thin targets comprise a plastic substrate, a 50 nm thick iron layer and an overlay of 100 nm CH and are separately heated by spot focus laser pulses. We have demonstrated that X-ray laser brightness is sufficient to overcome the self-emission of hot plasma so that useful opacity measurements can be made. The transmission through the targets agrees generally with the calculated transmission from a fluid code simulation coupled to the TOPS plasma opacity data. The ablation of aluminum foil with a thin (50 nm) iron coating was also observed using a neon-like zinc x-ray laser of photon energy 58 eV at the PALS centre. The x-ray laser was used to probe sample targets as they were heated by a separate laser beam of 10 J, focused to a 100 micron diameter spot. A simple calculation of the rate of ablation of the iron gives x-ray laser transmission through the targets in agreement with experiment. We suggest that x-ray laser probing can be a useful diagnostic of ablation rates in laser-plasmas.",

keywords = "x-ray laser, plasma opacity, ABSORPTION-MEASUREMENTS, IRON PLASMA, SATURATION, ABUNDANCE, MODEL, NEON",

author = "Tallents, \{G. J.\} and Edwards, \{M. H.\} and P. Mistry and Whittaker, \{D. S.\} and N. Booth and H. Huang and Pert, \{G. J.\} and B. Rus and T. Mocek and M. Kozlova and Lewis, \{C. L. S.\} and C. McKenna and A. Delseriey and M. Notley and D. Neely",

year = "2006",

language = "English",

isbn = "0-7354-0319-8",

pages = "353--364",

editor = "D Batani and M Lontano",

booktitle = "Superstrong Fields in Plasmas",

publisher = "American Institute of Physics",

address = "United States",

note = "3rd International Conference on Superstrong Fields in Plasmas ; Conference date: 19-09-2005 Through 24-09-2005",

}

Tallents, GJ, Edwards, MH, Mistry, P, Whittaker, DS, Booth, N, Huang, H, Pert, GJ, Rus, B, Mocek, T, Kozlova, M, Lewis, CLS, McKenna, C, Delseriey, A, Notley, M & Neely, D 2006, Plasma based x-ray lasers used for opacity and ablation rate measurements. in D Batani & M Lontano (eds), Superstrong Fields in Plasmas. American Institute of Physics, MELVILLE, pp. 353-364, 3rd International Conference on Superstrong Fields in Plasmas, Varenna, 19/09/05.

TY - GEN

T1 - Plasma based x-ray lasers used for opacity and ablation rate measurements

AU - Tallents, G. J.

AU - Edwards, M. H.

AU - Mistry, P.

AU - Whittaker, D. S.

AU - Booth, N.

AU - Huang, H.

AU - Pert, G. J.

AU - Rus, B.

AU - Mocek, T.

AU - Kozlova, M.

AU - Lewis, C. L. S.

AU - McKenna, C.

AU - Delseriey, A.

AU - Notley, M.

AU - Neely, D.

PY - 2006

Y1 - 2006

N2 - Utilizing thin targets, opacities of iron have been measured using x-ray lasers of photon energy 89 eV created by pumping with the VULCAN laser. The thin targets comprise a plastic substrate, a 50 nm thick iron layer and an overlay of 100 nm CH and are separately heated by spot focus laser pulses. We have demonstrated that X-ray laser brightness is sufficient to overcome the self-emission of hot plasma so that useful opacity measurements can be made. The transmission through the targets agrees generally with the calculated transmission from a fluid code simulation coupled to the TOPS plasma opacity data. The ablation of aluminum foil with a thin (50 nm) iron coating was also observed using a neon-like zinc x-ray laser of photon energy 58 eV at the PALS centre. The x-ray laser was used to probe sample targets as they were heated by a separate laser beam of 10 J, focused to a 100 micron diameter spot. A simple calculation of the rate of ablation of the iron gives x-ray laser transmission through the targets in agreement with experiment. We suggest that x-ray laser probing can be a useful diagnostic of ablation rates in laser-plasmas.

AB - Utilizing thin targets, opacities of iron have been measured using x-ray lasers of photon energy 89 eV created by pumping with the VULCAN laser. The thin targets comprise a plastic substrate, a 50 nm thick iron layer and an overlay of 100 nm CH and are separately heated by spot focus laser pulses. We have demonstrated that X-ray laser brightness is sufficient to overcome the self-emission of hot plasma so that useful opacity measurements can be made. The transmission through the targets agrees generally with the calculated transmission from a fluid code simulation coupled to the TOPS plasma opacity data. The ablation of aluminum foil with a thin (50 nm) iron coating was also observed using a neon-like zinc x-ray laser of photon energy 58 eV at the PALS centre. The x-ray laser was used to probe sample targets as they were heated by a separate laser beam of 10 J, focused to a 100 micron diameter spot. A simple calculation of the rate of ablation of the iron gives x-ray laser transmission through the targets in agreement with experiment. We suggest that x-ray laser probing can be a useful diagnostic of ablation rates in laser-plasmas.

KW - x-ray laser

KW - plasma opacity

KW - ABSORPTION-MEASUREMENTS

KW - IRON PLASMA

KW - SATURATION

KW - ABUNDANCE

KW - MODEL

KW - NEON

M3 - Conference contribution

SN - 0-7354-0319-8

SP - 353

EP - 364

BT - Superstrong Fields in Plasmas

A2 - Batani, D

A2 - Lontano, M

PB - American Institute of Physics

CY - MELVILLE

T2 - 3rd International Conference on Superstrong Fields in Plasmas

Y2 - 19 September 2005 through 24 September 2005

ER -