X-ray back-lighter characterization for iron opacity measurements using laser-produced aluminium K-alpha emission

TY - JOUR

T1 - X-ray back-lighter characterization for iron opacity measurements using laser-produced aluminium K-alpha emission

AU - Rossall, A. K.

AU - Gartside, L. M. R.

AU - Chaurasia, S.

AU - Tripathi, S.

AU - Munda, D. S.

AU - Gupta, N. K.

AU - Dhareshwar, L. J.

AU - Gaffney, J.

AU - Rose, S. J.

AU - Tallents, G. J.

PY - 2010/8/14

Y1 - 2010/8/14

N2 - Aluminium K-alpha emission (1.5 keV) produced by an 8 J, 500 ps, Nd:glass laser incident at 45 degrees onto a layered target of 0.8 mu m thick aluminium (front side) and 1 mu m thick iron (backside) has been used to probe the opacity of iron plasma. Source broadened spectroscopy and continuum emission analysis show that whole beam self-focusing within the aluminium plasma results in a two-temperature spatial distribution. Thermal conduction from the laser-irradiated aluminium into the iron layer, enhanced by the whole beam self-focusing, results in a temperature of similar to 10-150 eV in the iron layer. The iron opacity at a photon energy of 1.5 keV is shown to be strongly modified from cold values in agreement with IMP code opacities. Results presented here represent a feasibility study to seed future work using table-top laser systems for plasma opacity experiments.

AB - Aluminium K-alpha emission (1.5 keV) produced by an 8 J, 500 ps, Nd:glass laser incident at 45 degrees onto a layered target of 0.8 mu m thick aluminium (front side) and 1 mu m thick iron (backside) has been used to probe the opacity of iron plasma. Source broadened spectroscopy and continuum emission analysis show that whole beam self-focusing within the aluminium plasma results in a two-temperature spatial distribution. Thermal conduction from the laser-irradiated aluminium into the iron layer, enhanced by the whole beam self-focusing, results in a temperature of similar to 10-150 eV in the iron layer. The iron opacity at a photon energy of 1.5 keV is shown to be strongly modified from cold values in agreement with IMP code opacities. Results presented here represent a feasibility study to seed future work using table-top laser systems for plasma opacity experiments.

KW - PLASMAS

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=78049352129&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1088/0953-4075/43/15/155403

DO - 10.1088/0953-4075/43/15/155403

M3 - Article

SN - 0953-4075

VL - 43

SP - -

JO - Journal of Physics B: Atomic, Molecular and Optical Physics

JF - Journal of Physics B: Atomic, Molecular and Optical Physics

IS - 15

M1 - 155403

ER -