Development of high intensity X-ray sources at the National Ignition Facility
Abstract
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.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Pub Defense Publication
- Publication Date
- Mar 07, 2018
- Source ID
- 10.1063/1.5015927
Entities
People
- Brandon Blue
- D. Thorn
- G. E. Kemp
- Jeffrey Colvin
- Klaus Widmann
- M. J. May
- Maria Alejandra Barrios
- P. Poole
- R. Benjamin
Organizations
- Defense Threat Reduction Agency
- Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
- United States Department of Energy