Emission spectroscopy characterization of an imploded, magnetized cylindrical plasma for relativistic electron transport

We report on experiments performed on the Omega laser facility to investigate the propagation of relativistic electrons in a compressed, magnetized cylindrical plasma. A cylindrical target composed of a CH foam doped with 1% Cl within a tube of solid CH was irradiated by 36 OMEGA beams to compress the CH together with an applied, axial magnetic field. The cylinder ends were capped with Cu and Zn foils. We used emission spectroscopic techniques to characterize the imploded plasma and to supplement the electron propagation data. The analysis of the time-resolved continuum emission from the foam and Cl K-shell emission as well as time-integrated Cu and Zn K-shell emission are presented for targets with and without the applied field. Temperatures and densities are inferred using atomic physics code simulations and compared to 2D hydrodynamic calculations from FLASH code. Additional emission was observed, and electron spectra were recorded when the OMEGA EP laser, used to generate the relativistic electrons, irradiated the Zn endcap giving information about propagation and energy deposition of the relativistic electrons.