Simulation study of enhancing laser driven multi-keV line-radiation through application of external magnetic fields
Abstract
We present a path forward for enhancing laser driven, multi-keV line-radiation from mid- to high-Z, sub-quarter-critical density, non-equilibrium plasmas through inhibited thermal transport in the presence of an externally generated magnetic field. Preliminary simulations with Kr and Ag suggest that as much as 50%–100% increases in peak electron temperatures are possible—without any changes in laser drive conditions—with magnetized interactions. The increase in temperature results in ∼2−3× enhancements in laser-to-x-ray conversion efficiency for K-shell emission with simultaneous ≲4× reduction in L-shell emission using current field generation capabilities on the Omega laser and near-term capabilities on the National Ignition Facility laser. Increased plasma temperatures and enhanced K-shell emission are observed to come at the cost of degraded volumetric heating. Such enhancements in high-photon-energy x-ray sources could expand the existing laser platforms for increasingly penetrating x-ray radiography.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Pub Defense Publication
- Publication Date
- Oct 01, 2016
- Source ID
- 10.1063/1.4965236
Entities
People
- B. E. Blue
- G. E. Kemp
- Jeffrey Colvin
- Kevin Fournier
Organizations
- Defense Threat Reduction Agency
- Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
- United States Department of Energy