Generation of a shock wave by soft-x-ray–driven ablation

Experimental observation of a shock wave generated by soft-x-ray--driven ablation is reported. An aluminum foil was irradiated by soft x rays emitted from a gold plasma. At the soft x-ray intensity of 1.9×{}10¹² C/cm², the shock velocity is measured to be 1.1×{}10⁶ cm/sec. The ablation pressure driving the shock wave is estimated to be 1.3 Mbar. This ablation pressure is in good agreement with the value determined independently from x-ray burn-through measurement.