Development of high intensity X-ray sources at the National Ignition Facility.
- Resource Type
- Article
- Authors
- May, M. J.; Colvin, J. D.; Kemp, G. E.; Barrios, M. A.; Widmann, K.; Benjamin, R.; Thorn, D.; Poole, P.; Blue, B.
- Source
- Physics of Plasmas. May2018, Vol. 25 Issue 5, pN.PAG-N.PAG. 7p. 6 Diagrams, 1 Chart, 5 Graphs.
- Subject
- *PLASMA heating by laser
*DENSE plasmas
*LASER pumping
*X-rays
- Language
- ISSN
- 1070-664X
Laser heated plasmas have provided recently some of the most powerful and energetic nanosecond length laboratory sources of x-ray photons (Ephoton = 1–30 keV). The highest x-ray to laser conversion is currently accessible by using underdense (ne ∼ 0.25 nc) plasmas since optimal laser coupling is obtained in millimeter scale targets. The targets can have conversion efficiencies of up to 10%. Several types of targets can be used to produce underdense plasmas: metal lined cylindrical cavities, gas pipes, and most recently nano-wire foams. Both the experimental and simulation details of these high intensity x-ray sources are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]