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 · 10²⁰ cm^?3. Total x-ray photon flux in the He-like resonance line has been calculated giving 10¹³ phot/ster.