Abstract
This paper summarizes the work carried out for an experimental study of low-energy nuclear excitation by laser-produced plasma at the PALS Prague laser facility. We describe the adaptation and shielding of single-quantum active radiation detectors developed at IEAP CTU Prague to facilitate their operation inside the laser interaction chamber in the vicinity of the plasma target. The goal of this effort is direct real-time single-quantum detection of plasma soft X-ray radiation with energy above a few keV and subsequent identification of the decay of the excited nuclear states via low-energy gamma rays in a highly radiative environment with strong electromagnetic interference.
Highlights
The possibility to excite low-energy nuclear states by laser-induced plasma has been initiated and experimentally investigated [1] on the Prague Asterix Laser System (PALS – see http://www.pals.cas.cz)
Based on a systematic survey of suitable candidate nuclei [2], experiments have been undertaken to investigate the possible laser-produced plasma (LPP) excitation and 6 μs decay of 6.2 keV level in 181Ta. In framework of this project, particular effort has been devoted to the use of active detectors inside the interaction chamber for direct detection of plasma radiation and/or subsequent nuclear radiation
Two types of detector systems have been adapted for this purpose: hybrid semiconductor pixel detectors, and fast scintillating detectors
Summary
The possibility to excite low-energy nuclear states by laser-induced plasma has been initiated and experimentally investigated [1] on the Prague Asterix Laser System (PALS – see http://www.pals.cas.cz). This medium-energy high-power system yields interaction intensities at the level of 1016–1017 Wcm−2, which produce subrelativistic plasmas with an electron temperature of the order of 1–10 keV. Such laser-produced plasma (LPP) can excite low-lying nuclear states. We report the development of special instruments complying with crude requirements for detecting the delayed X-ray emission close to the laser-irradiated targets, and we outline future work
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