Beyond Zeeman spectroscopy: Magnetic-field diagnostics with Stark-dominated line shapes

Abstract

A recently suggested spectroscopic approach for magnetic-field determination in plasma is employed to measure magnetic fields in an expanding laser-produced plasma plume in an externally applied magnetic field. The approach enables the field determination in a diagnostically difficult regime for which the Zeeman-split patterns are not resolvable, as is often encountered under the conditions characteristic of high-energy-density plasmas. Here, such conditions occur in the high-density plasma near the laser target, due to the dominance of Stark broadening. A pulsed-power system is used to generate magnetic fields with a peak magnitude of 25 T at the inner-electrode surface in a coaxial configuration. An aluminum target attached to the inner electrode surface is then irradiated by a laser beam to produce the expanding plasma that interacts with the applied azimuthal magnetic field. A line-shape analysis of the Al III 4s–4p doublet (5696 and 5722 Å) enables the simultaneous determination of the magnetic field and the electron density. The measured magnetic fields are generally found to agree with those expected in a vacuum based on the pulsed-power system current. Examples of other transitions that can be used to diagnose a wide range of plasma and magnetic field parameters are presented.