Laser-produced plasma helium-like titanium Kα x-ray source and its application to Rayleigh-Taylor instability study

Several experiments are performed on the ShenGuang-II laser facility to investigate an x-ray source and test radiography concepts.X-ray lines emitted from laser-produced plasmas are the most practical means of generating these high intensity sources.By using a time-integrated space-resolved keV spectroscope and pinhole camera,potential helium-like titanium Kα x-ray backlighting (radiography) line source is studied as a function of laser wavelength,ratio of pre-pulse intensity to main pulse intensity,and laser intensity (from 7.25 to～11.3×10 15 W/cm 2).One-dimensional radiography using a grid consisting of 5 μm Au wires on 16 μm period and the pinhole-assisted point projection is tested.The measurements show that the size of the helium-like titanium Kα source from a simple foil target is larger than 100 μm,and relative x-ray line emission conversion efficiency ξ x from the incident laser light energy to heliumlike titanium K-shell spectrum increases significantly with pre-pulse intensity increasing,increases rapidly with laser wavelength decreasing,and increases moderately with main laser intensity increasing.It is also found that a gold gird foils can reach an imaging resolution better than 5-μm featured with high contrast.It is further demonstrated that the pinhole-assisted point projection at such a level will be a novel two-dimensional imaging diagnostic technique for inertial confinement fusion experiments.     

Scaling of x-ray emission and ion velocity in laser produced Cu plasmas

The x-ray emission from slab targets of copper irradiated by Nd:glass laser (1.054 μm, 5 and 15 ns) at intensities between 10¹² and 10¹¹W/cm² has been studied. The x-ray emissions were monitored with the help of high quantum efficiency x-ray silicon photo diodes and vacuum photo diodes, all covered with aluminium filters of different thickness. The x-ray intensity vs the laser intensity has a scaling factor of (1.2–1.92). The relative x-ray conversion efficiency follows an empirical relationship which is in close agreement with the one reported by Babonneau et al. The ion velocities were monitored using Langmuir probes placed at different angles and radial distances from the target position. The variation of the ion velocity with the laser intensity follows a scaling of the form Φ ^β where β ∼0.22 which is in good agreement with the reported scaling factor values. The results on the x-ray emission from Cu plasma are reported.     

Volume effect of laser produced plasma on X-ray emissions

An investigation of x-ray emission from Cu plasma produced by 1.054 μm Nd:glass laser pulses of 5 ns duration, at 2 × 10¹² − 2 × 10¹³ W cm⁻² is reported. The x-ray emission has been studied as a function of target position with respect to the laser beam focus position. It has been observed that x-ray emissions from ns duration plasma show a volume effect similar to subnanosecond plasmas. Due to this effect the x-ray yield increases when target is moved away relative to the best focal plane of the laser beam. This result supports the theoretical model of Tallents and has also been testified independently using suitably modified theoretical model for our experimental conditions. While above result is in good agreement with similar experimental results obtained for sub-nanosecond laser produced plasmas, it differs from result claiming filamentation rather than pure geometrical effect leading to x-ray enhancement for ns plasmas.     

Laser-produced plasma He-alpha source for pulse radiography

Through the use of time and space integrated kiloelectronvolt （keV） spectroscopy, we investigate the thermal emission of plasma, which produces strong line emission from the titanium K shell （He-a at 4.7 keV and H-α at 4.9 keV）, created by laser. In order to optimize the conversion efficiency enhancement on titanium foils, the experiment is conducted under a variety of laser-driven intensity conditions. The X-ray emission intensity at 4.7 keV is measured and compared with prediction. The experimental result demonstrates that the solid Ti target laser-produced plasma （LPP） source has X-ray emission at 4.7 keV, which are all generated from electronic transitions in Ti ions at pulse width of 2.1 ns or 30 ps, the crudely evaluated He-α X-ray intensity appears to slightly increase with laser intensity enhancement, and the pre- pulse effect increases the conversion efficiency of the He-α X-ray. In addition, a 90-μm-thick Ti foil as a filter is used to transmit He-α X-ray at near 4.7 keV, creating a quasi-monochromatic transmission and greatly reducing the lower- and higher-energy background.     

2D parameter optimization of Ne-like Cr x-ray laser on slab

A method of studying a non-equilibrium x-ray laser plasma is developed by extending the existing one-dimensional similarity equations to the case of two-dimensional plasma study in the directions perpendicular to the slab and along a focal line. With this method the characteristics of pre-plasma are optimized for transient neon-like Cr x-ray laser. It is found that when the duration and the intensity of 1.053μm pre-pulse are 1.2ns and 6.5 TW/cm² respectively with a delay time of 1.5ns, the temperature and the temperature discrepancy each approach a proper state, which will provide a uniform distribution of properly ionized neon-like Cr ions before the arrival of pumping pulse.     

Muon transfer from protium to helium isotopes at low temperature

The transfer reaction of negative muons from muonic protium to ³ and ⁴ in binary and triple gas mixtures was studied. In the binary mixtures the transfer rates to the two helium isotopes were determined from the time distribution of the 7-keV X-rays of the intermediate muonic molecule (pμHe)*. The experimental transfer rate to ⁴ is in good agreement with theoretical predictions, whereas the rate to ³ is a factor 2 to 3 smaller than the predicted ones. Radiative branching ratios of the (pμHe)8 molecular decay were obtained. Muon transfer from excited states of muonic protium gives the main contribution to the total intensity of the μHe Lyman series in the binary mixtures. Values of q _1s ^He are determined. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Non-uniform Influence of Prepulse Duration on a Nickel-Like Mo X-Ray Laser in XLⅢ

An experiment on a transient nickel-like Mo x-ray laser in the extreme light Ⅲ （XL Ⅲ） laser facility is analyzed, based on the two-dimensional hydrodynamic evolutions of a plasma under a non-uniform incident laser. Influences of the pulse duration and intensity on plasma scale length, electron density, temperature, as well as their distributions are investigated, based on which the pre-pulse character and delay time are determined according to the parameters of laser line focus on XLⅢ. It is found that the optimal intensity of the pre-pulse is 1.0 TW/cm^2 with a duration of 500ps; a well modified pre-plasma can be obtained after 1.6ns under low quality line focus in the lab.     

Multiple charge states of titanium ions in laser produced plasma

An intense laser radiation (10¹² to 10¹¹ W/cm⁻²) focused on the solid target creates a hot (≥1 keV) and dense plasma having high ionization state. The multiple charged ions with high current densities produced during laser matter interaction have potential application in accelerators as an ion source. This paper presents generation and detection of highly stripped titanium ions (Ti) in laser produced plasma. An Nd:glass laser (KAMETRON) delivering 50 J energy (λ=0.53 μm) in 2.5 ns was focused onto a titanium target to produce plasma. This plasma was allowed to drift across a space of ∼3 m through a diagnostic hole in the focusing mirror before ions are finally detected with the help of electrostatic ion analyzer. Maximum current density was detected for the charge states of +16 and +17 of Ti ions for laser intensity of ∼10¹¹ W/cm⁻².     

boldmath Broadband water window supercontinuum generation with a ω+3ω/2 multicycle two-colour pulse

We propose a method to generate a high-efficiency broadband water window supercontinuum with a ω+3ω/2 multicycle two-colour pulse. Our results reveal that the 3ω/2 laser pulse can simultaneously modulate the acceleration step and the ionization step, which not only broadens the bandwidth but also enhances the yield of the generated supercontinuum. An ultra-broadband supercontinuum from 290 eV to 555 eV covering the whole water window is generated. Using this method, we expect that an isolated 62-as pulse with a minor pre-pulse can be directly obtained.     

A scaling law of high-order harmonic generation

Using a nonperturbative quantum electrodynamics theory of high-order harmonic generation (HHG), a scaling law of HHG is established. The scaling law states that when the atomic binding energy E_b, the wavelength λ and the intensity I of the laser field change simultaneously to kE_b, λ/k, and k³I, respectively. The characteristics of the HHG spectrum remain unchanged, while the harmonic yield is enhanced k³ times. That HHG obeys the same scaling law with above-threshold ionization is a solid proof of the fact that the two physical processes have similar physical mechanisms. The variation of integrated harmonic yields is also discussed.     

Particular features of the transmission of laser radiation with wavelength 0.438 µm and intensity (3–7)·1014 W/cm2 through an undercritical plasma from polymer aerogels

The velocities of energy transport in an undercritical plasma of polymer aerogel with and without copper nanoparticles were measured. Transmission of the laser light through targets of different thicknesses such as submicron three-dimensional polymer networks with densities below the critical value (0.13–0.52 N _cr) for a wavelength of 0.438 μm and intensity of (3–7)·10¹⁴ W/cm² at a half-height pulse duration of 0.32 ns was studied. The transfer of a heating laser radiation was registered on the rear side of the target. It ranged from a level of ∼0.5% for the thickness of a low-density layer of 400 μm and density of 9 mg/cm³ (mass per unit square of 0.36 mg/cm²) up to 50–60% for a thickness of 100 μm and density of 2.25 mg/cm³ (mass per unit square of 0.02 mg/cm²). The time dependences of the optical emission from the rear side of the targets were measured. They appear to be indicative of the plasma dynamics in two-layer targets (polymer foam on Al foil) and enable the estimation of the absorption depth for the laser light in an undercritical plasma. __________ Translated from Preprint No. 8 of the P. N. Lebedev Physical Institute, Moscow (2007).     

The effect of high iron-ion implantation doses on the X-ray emission spectra of silicon

X-ray emission spectroscopy (Si L _{2, 3} spectra, 3d3s → 2p electronic transition) was employed to study p-and n-type silicon samples implanted with Fe⁺ ions in a pulse mode (the implantation energy was 30 keV, the pulse current was varied up to 0.5 A, the pulse duration was 400 μs, and the ion irradiation doses ranged from 10¹⁴ to 10¹⁷ cm⁻²). The x-ray emission spectra were found to be dependent on the ion irradiation dose and the electron-accelerating voltage that was used in the x-ray studies. By comparing the Si L spectra with the spectra of reference materials and by modeling the former spectra, it was revealed that, as the ion-irradiation dose increases, there occur disordering of the structure, partial amorphization of the sample in a surface layer approximately 7200-? thick, and its subsequent recrystallization (under high irradiation doses). It was shown that this effect is most pronounced in a layer at a depth of ∼1000 ? and is not associated with the formation of iron silicide FeSi in the bulk of the sample but rather is due to the breakage of Si-Si bonds caused by ion implantation under the irradiation doses used. Original Russian Text ? D.A. Zatsepin, E.S. Yanenkova, é.Z. Kurmaev, V.M. Cherkashenko, S.N. Shamin, S.O. Cholakh, 2006, published in Fizika Tverdogo Tela, 2006, Vol. 48, No. 2, pp. 204–209.     

Measurement of molecular hydrogen densities by resonance fluorescence

Using a pulsed capilary discharge through helium as a light source fluorescence within the Lyman bands (transitionX ¹ ∑ _g ⁺ →B ¹ ∑ _u ⁺ of molecular hydrogen and deuterium has been investigated. Selecting a narrow spectral range (width ≈ 8 ?) from the continuum radiation with a spectrometer, lines in the wavelength range from 1060 ? to 1110 ? have been excited having a vibrational quantum number υ″=0 in the lower state, and ≦υ′≦4 in the upper state. The fluorescence intensity has been measured as a function of υ′ and of the hydrogen density. Agreement with calculations has been found to be within ±30%. The method at present allows the determination of densities between 10¹⁰ and 10¹⁵ molecules per cm³ with a temporal resolution of 1μs and with a spacial resolution of 0.1 cm³     

Mechanooptical investigations of polyimide films exposed to electrons,mechanical loads,and temperatures

Joint effect of high-energy electrons, mechanical loads, and temperature on polyimide films of thicknesses in the range 30–130 μm is investigated. The films were preliminary irradiated by electrons in air using an éLU-6 linear accelerator with energy of 2 MeV and doses D = 1, 5, 10, 20, 30, 40, and 100 MGy and then subjected to uniaxial mechanical tension at temperatures (T) from 293 to 593 K. It is established that at T = 293–450 K and D = 20–40 MGy, the mechanical load causes almost the same deformations (ε_{l max}) of nonirradiated and irradiated samples; at T = 450–550 K, deformations of films sharply increase, and the character of their dependence changes. The ε_{l max} value of the initial sample increases almost linearly with temperature by a factor of 10, whereas the character of changing ε_{l max}(T) of the irradiated films is more complex, and its value increases approximately by a factor of 4. For T > 500 K, the deformation reaches limiting values. Irradiation increases the intensity of IR-spectra by 2–6 times and essentially increases the widths of absorption bands at 720, 1380, and 1775 cm⁻¹, which is caused by the formation of hydrogen bonds and cycles with nitrogen as well as by the formation of nitrogen oxides. External loading applied to film rupture causes an increase in the EPR signal amplitude from 3·10³ to 5·10³, which is connected with an increased concentration of radicals =N-H and-NH ₂. The electron irradiation of the polyimide films with their subsequent mechanical loading causes the spectrum lines to displace from 3475.0 to 3512.5 cm⁻¹ with simultaneous reduction of the signal amplitude from 6·10³ to 4·10³. __________ Translated from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Fizika, No. 2, pp. 52–58, February, 2007.     

Intersubband transitions in Al0.82In0.18N/GaN single quantum well

The influence of the width of a lattice-matched Al_0.82In_0.18N/GaN single quantum well (SQW) on the absorption coefficients and wavelength of the intersubband transition (ISBT) has been investigated by solving the Schrödinger and Poisson equations self-consistently. The wavelength of 1—2 ISBT increases with L, the thickness of the single quantum well, ranging from 2.88 μm to 3.59 μm. The absorption coefficients of 1—2 ISBT increase with L at first and then decrease with L, with a maximum when L is equal to 2.6 nm. The wavelength of 1—3 ISBT decreases with L at first and then increases with L, with a minimum when L is equal to 4 nm, ranging from approximately 2.03 μm to near 2.11 μm. The absorption coefficients of 1—3 ISBT decrease with L. The results indicate that mid-infrared can be realized by the Al_0.82In_0.18N/GaN SQW. In addition, the wavelength and absorption coefficients of ISBT can be adjusted by changing the width of the SQW.     

Cylindrical cumulation of fast ions in a ring focus of a high-power subpicosecond laser

A new method of cylindrical cumulation of fast ions undergoing ponderomotive acceleration at the focus of a high-power subpicosecond laser is proposed. When a laser beam is focused in a preionized gas at a ring focus, radial acceleration of ions by the ponderomotive force occurs. The ions accelerated from the inner side of the ring form a cylindrical shock wave converging toward the axis. As the shock wave cumulates, the ion density increases rapidly and the ion-ion collision probability increases along with it. A numerical simulation for a ~100 TW subpicosecond laser pulse predicts the generation of up to 200 keV ions and up to 100-fold volume compression of the plasma in a cylinder ~1 μm in diameter. The lifetime of the dense plasma filament over the length of the laser caustic is several picoseconds. It is suggested that laser cumulation of ions be used for the production of a bright and compact subpicosecond source of fast neutrons, media for x-and γ-ray lasers, and multiply-charged ions and for the initiation of nuclear reactions. Pis’ma Zh. éksp. Teor. Fiz. 69, No. 1, 20–25 (10 January 1999)     

Effect of proton and laser irradiation on the elastic and inelastic properties of a V-Ti-Cr alloy

The behavior of Young’s modulus E and the decrement of ultrasonic vibrations δ in a V-4Ti-4Cr alloy is studied during proton (8-MeV protons, dose rate 10⁴ Gy/s) or IR laser (YAG: Nd³⁺ laser, wavelength 1.06 μm, intensity up to 10² W/cm²) irradiation. Measurements are performed using the method of a composite piezoelectric oscillator (longitudinal 100-kHz resonance vibrations). The sizes of the irradiated surface regions of a sample in the proton and laser experiments are the same in order to provide the same thermal conditions in the sample-quartz transducer system. The amplitude, time, and temperature dependences of E and δ are measured before and after preliminary plastic deformation, as well as before, during, and after irradiation of a sample. The process of postdeformation aging (the kinetics of recovery of internal friction after deformation) during proton irradiation is shown to differ substantially from that during laser irradiation. The specific features detected can be explained by the more intense evolution of the defect structure during proton irradiation. Analysis shows that radiation annealing is related to the ionizing component of proton irradiation, which excites the electronic subsystem of the metallic alloy and, thus, creates hot electrons and plasmons. The electron excitations relax at lattice defects (dislocations) and increase the dislocation mobility; this results in a relatively rapid decrease in the dislocation density and in a more significant (as compared to the laser irradiation) decrease in the level of internal stresses in the material. __________ Translated from Fizika Tverdogo Tela, Vol. 46, No. 8, 2004, pp. 1409–1415. Original Russian Text Copyright ? 2004 by Kardashev, Plaksin, Stepanov, Chernov.     

Experimental study of conversion from atomic high—order harmonics to x—ray emissions

There are two physical phenomena in a strong laser intensity. One is the high-order harmonic emission; the other is x-ray emission from optical-field ionized plasmas. The experiment of conversion from high-order harmonics to x-ray emissions was given with a 105fs Ti:sapphire laser by adjusting laser intensities. The ingredient in plasma was investigated by the numerical simulations.Our experimental results suggested that the free electrons have detrimental effects on harmonic generation but are favourable for x-ray emission from optical-field ionized plasmas. If we want to obtain more intense harmonic signals as a coherent light source in the soft x-ray region, we must avoid the production of free electrons in plasmas. At the same time, if we want to observe x-rays for the development of high-repetition-rate table-top soft x-ray lasers, we should strip all atoms in the plasmas to a necessary ionized stage by the optical-field-ionization in the field of a high-intensity laser pulse.     

Mitigation of energetic ion debris from Gd plasma using dual laser pulses and the combined effect with ambient gas

For the next-generation beyond extreme ultraviolet lithography(EUVL) sources, gadolinium(Gd) plasma with emission wavelength at 6.7 nm seems to be the leading candidate. Similar to the Sn target 13.5 nm light source, ion debris mitigation is one of the most important tasks in the laser-produced Gd plasma EUV source development. In this paper,a dual-laser-pulse scheme, which uses a low energy pulse to produce a pre-plasma and a main pulse after a time delay to shoot the pre-plasma, is employed to mitigate the energetic ion generation from the source. Optimal conditions(such as pre-pulse energy and wavelength, and the time delay between the pre-pulse and the main pulse for mitigating the ion energy) are experimentally obtained, and with the optimal conditions, the peak of the ion energy is found to be reduced to1/18 of that of a single laser pulse case. Moreover, the combined effect by applying ambient gas to the dual-pulse scheme for ion debris mitigation is demonstrated, and the result shows that the yield of Gd ions is further reduced to around 1/9 of the value for the case with dual laser pulses.     

An AlGaN/GaN HEMT with reduced surface electric field and improved breakdown voltage

A reduced surface electric field in AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistor (HEMT) is investigated by employing a localized Mg-doped layer under the two-dimensional electron gas (2-DEG) channel as an electric field shaping layer. The electric field strength around the gate edge is effectively relieved and the surface electric field is distributed evenly as compared with those of HEMTs with conventional source-connected field plate and double field plate structures with the same device physical dimensions. Compared with the HEMTs with conventional source-connected field plate and double field plate, the HEMT with Mg-doped layer also shows that the breakdown location shifts from the surface of the gate edge to the bulk Mg-doped layer edge. By optimizing both the length of Mg-doped layer, L_m, and the doping concentration, a 5.5 times and 3 times the reduction in the peak electric field near the drain side gate edge is observed as compared with those of the HEMTs with source-connected field plate structure and double field plate structure, respectively. In a device with V_GS=-5 V, L_m=1.5 μm, a peak Mg doping concentration of 8× 10¹⁷ cm^-3 and a drift region length of 10 μm, the breakdown voltage is observed to increase from 560 V in a conventional device without field plate structure to over 900 V without any area overhead penalty.