Measurements of Bremsstrahlung and K-shell Emission to Determine the Hot Electron Temperature and Conversion Efficiency in Short-pulse Laser Experiments

POSTER

Abstract

Understanding the conversion efficiency and temperature spectrum of relativistic electrons produced via laser-plasma interactions is an essential first step for determining the coupling of laser energy to the compressed core of a fast ignition target. Measurements of the Bremsstrahlung spectrum and k-shell yield were made using a differentially filtered imaging plate spectrometer and a single-hit CCD spectrometer on various foil and cone targets irradiated with the TITAN laser (1054 nm, 150 J, 10$^{20}$ W/cm$^{2})$ at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. The temperature and absolute number of relativistic electrons have been inferred from these x-ray measurements using the Monte Carlo code Integrated Tiger Series (ITS) 3.0.

Authors

  • C.D. Chen

    Plasma Science Fusion Center, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

  • J. King

    Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of California-San Diego, Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of California-San Diego, La Jolla, CA

  • F.N. Beg

    UCSD, Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of California San Diego, U.C. San Diego, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, La Jolla CA, University of California-San Diego, Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of California-San Diego, Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of California-San Diego, La Jolla, CA

  • A.G. Macphee

    Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore CA 94550, Lawrence Livermore National Lab

  • M. Key

    Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore CA 94550, Lawrence Livermore National Lab

  • A.J. Mackinnon

    Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore CA 94550

  • L. Van Woerkom

    Ohio State University, Columbus OH, The Ohio State University, College of Mathematical and Physical Sciences, Ohio State University, College of Mathematical and Physical Sciences, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH