X-ray sensitive charge-coupled device instrumentation for short and ultrashort pulse laser-produced plasma experiments

We describe the use of x-ray sensitive charge-coupled device (CCD) detectors for measuring the 1–15 Å emission from high temperature plasmas produced at the L-Division JANUS and USP (pulse length∼100 fs) laser facilities. Instruments based upon commercially available video format cameras have been designed to replace x-ray film, as the two-dimensional recording medium, for imaging and x-ray spectroscopic applications. Used in conjunction with a high sensitivity x-ray pinhole camera, magnification 5–20, the CCD detectors can give spatial resolution approaching 5 μm and energy band information by the use of edge filters. A compact wavelength dispersive spectrometer equipped with the CCD detector and a flat Bragg crystal analyzer can record survey spectra.