Investigation of X‐ray Emission from Plasmas Created by NIXE 6‐nsec Nd: Glass Laser System

This paper reports details on the design of the Nd: glass laser facility NIXE at the Central Institute of Optics and Spectroscopy, including the target chamber and the x ‐ray diagnostics, spatial and temporal behaviour of the 1.06 μm radiation generated are given. Plane, massive targets of aluminium and silicon have been irradiated with 6‐nsec FWHM laser pulses. Investigations of laser produced Al‐ and Si‐plasmas have been performed with spectral and spatial high resolution diagnostics, consisting of a 3 channel crystal‐spectrometer, 2 crystal‐microscopes, and 2 pinhole cameras and the results are presented. Line spectra have been interpreted within the hypothesis of a steady state coronal equilibrium. He‐like lines of the Al‐plasma indicate temperatures up to 400 eV and densities up to 2 · 10 20 cm −3 . Total x ‐ray photon flux in the He‐like resonance line has been calculated giving 10 13 phot/ster.