high-Z Plasmas Research Articles

Theoretical investigations on x-ray transport in radiation transport experiments on the Shenguang-III prototype laser facility

Experiments exploring the propagation of heat waves within cylindrical CH foams were performed on the Shenguang-III prototype laser facility in 2012. In this paper, the radiation fluxes out of CH foam cylinders at different angles are analyzed theoretically using the two-dimensional radiation hydrodynamics code LARED-R. Owing to the difficulty in validating opacity and equation of state (EOS) data for high-Z plasmas, and to uncertainties in the measured radiation temperature Tr and the original foam density ρ0, multipliers are introduced to adjust the Au material parameters, Tr, and ρ0 in our simulations to better explain the measurements. The dependences of the peak radiation flux Fmax and the breakout time of the heat wave thalf (defined as the time corresponding to the radiation flux at half-maximum) on the radiation source, opacity, EOS, and ρ0 scaling factors (ηsrc, ηop, ηeos, and ηρ) are investigated via numerical simulations combined with fitting. Then, with the uncertainties in the measured Tr and ρ0 fixed at 3.6% and 3.1%, respectively, experimental data are exploited as fiducial values to determine the ranges of ηop and ηeos. It is found that the ranges of ηop and ηeos fixed by this experiment overlap partially with those found in our previous work [Meng et al., Phys. Plasmas 20, 092704 (2013)]. Based on the scaled opacity and EOS parameters, the values of Fmax and thalf obtained via simulations are in good agreement with the measurements, with maximum errors ∼9.5% and within 100 ps, respectively.

Novel designfor a polarizing DUV spectrometer using a Wollaston prism and its application as a diagnostic for measuring Thomson scattering data in the presence of strong self-emission backgrounds.

We present a novel designfor an optical spectrometer for use in ultraviolet Thomson scattering measurements of plasma parameters in high energy density (HED) inertial confinement fusion experiments on large-scale high-energy laser facilities. In experiments investigating high-Z plasmas, the fidelity of measurements is commonly limited by signal/background ratios approaching or exceeding unity. An alpha barium borate Wollaston prism can provide both spectral dispersion and polarization channel separation, allowing simultaneous measurement of both the Thomson scattering signal and plasma self-emission along a single line of sight and in a single experiment, which should greatly improve data quality and reduce the opportunity cost of taking high quality measurements. We present a basic discussion of the designand a worked example of an instrument designed to take fourth harmonic electron plasma wave measurements in HED experiments at the OMEGA laser facility.

Systematic investigation of density incrustation at low-Z/high-Z interfaces in HED systems

A systematic investigation of the phenomenon of density incrustation was done by performing radiation hydrodynamics simulations at the interface of low-Z and high-Z materials. In this work, a high-Z material was maintained at a very high temperature compared to an adjacent low-Z material. This led to propagation of heat wave and shock wave into the low-Z medium. Rarefaction of the high-Z interface was arrested by a shock compressed low-Z medium. A sharp increase in density (density incrustation) was observed in rarefying high-Z plasmas at the interface. Density incrustation was not observed when rarefaction in the high-Z material occurred in the absence of the adjacent low-Z medium or when the radiation drive was incident on the low-Z material transmitting heat wave and shock wave into the high-Z material. The effect of the radiation drive, opacity, and equation of state on density incrustation at the interfaces of different high-Z (Au, U, and Pb) and low-Z (CH, Be, and Al) materials was studied. We observed that the height of incrustation depends on the temperature of the radiation drive, density, and opacity of the low-Z arrester material. This work has significance in the design of inertial confinement fusion systems wherein peaking of density in rarefying high-Z plasmas increases the Atwood number, contributing toward the growth of Rayleigh–Taylor instability at the interface.

Number of populated electronic configurations in a hot dense plasma.

In hot dense plasmas of intermediate or high-Z elements in the state of local thermodynamic equilibrium, the number of electronic configurations contributing to key macroscopic quantities such as the spectral opacity and equation of state can be enormous. In this work we present systematic methods for the analysis of the number of relativistic electronic configurations in a plasma. While the combinatoric number of configurations can be huge even for mid-Z elements, the number of configurations which have non-negligible population is much lower and depends strongly and nontrivially on temperature and density. We discuss two useful methods for the estimation of the number of populated configurations: (i) using an exact calculation of the total combinatoric number of configurations within superconfigurations in a converged super-transition-array (STA) calculation, and (ii) by using an estimate for the multidimensional width of the probability distribution for electronic population over bound shells, which is binomial if electron exchange and correlation effects are neglected. These methods are analyzed, and the mechanism which leads to the huge number of populated configurations is discussed in detail. Comprehensive average-atom finite-temperature density functional theory (DFT) calculations are performed in a wide range of temperature and density for several low-, mid-, and high-Z plasmas. The effects of temperature and density on the number of populated configurations are discussed and explained.

Electron temperature and soft x-ray intensity scaling in laser heavy element plasma interaction

We achieved a relative optically thin state in laser-produced heavy element plasmas at determined electron temperatures, which has been predicted by power balance and collisional-radiative models. We also mapped the power-loss processes in sub-nanosecond and nanosecond laser-produced high-Z plasmas. The electron temperature evaluation was in good agreement with the power balance model and was supported by the spectral analysis. The output flux in the soft x-ray region was stronger at a higher critical density.

Super-transition-array calculations for synthetic spectra and opacity of high-density, high-temperature germanium plasmas

The synthetic emission spectra and opacity of high-density, high-temperature germanium (Z=32) plasma from super-transition-array (STA) calculations are presented. The viability of the STA model, which is based on a statistical superconfigurations accounting approach for calculating the atomic and radiative properties, is examined by comparing and contrasting its results against the available experimental data and other theoretical calculations. First, we focus on the emission data. To model the data, the Eulerian radiation-hydrodynamics code FastRad3D is used in conjunction with STA to obtain the STA-required inputs, namely, the time-dependent temperature and density profiles of the Ge plasmas. Consequently, we find that STA results fit the experimental spectrum reasonably well, reproducing the main spectral features of 2p−3d,2s−3p, and 2p−4d transitions from the laser-heated germanium layer buried in plastic [High Energy Density Phys., 6 (2010) 105]. However, careful comparison between experimental and theoretical results in the photon-energy regions of ~ 1.7 keV shows some degrees of disparity between the two. This may be due to the non-LTE effects and the presence of spatial gradients in the sample. Limitations of STA to model the experimental spectrum precisely is expected and underscoring the difficulty of the present attempts as the model assumed local thermodynamics equilibrium population dynamics. Second, we examine the STA calculated multi-frequency opacities for a broad range of Ge plasma conditions covering the L- and M-shell spectral range. Comparing with a hybrid LTE opacity code which combines the statistical super-transition-array and fine-structure methods [High Energy Density Phys., 7 (2011) 234], impressively good agreement is found between the two calculations. In addition, the sensitivity of the opacity results in various plasma temperatures and mass densities is discussed. The ionized population fraction and average ionization of the Ge plasma are also described. Comparisons of STA results in the observed spectrum and opacity are considerably close while offering the advantage of computational speed and its capability of treating hot and dense high-Z plasmas.

Laser-produced uranium plasma characterization and Stark broadening measurements

This work reports the spatiotemporal diagnostics of uranium species in plasma plumes produced by nanosecond near-infrared laser pulses in a low-pressure environment. Spatially and temporally resolved emission spectroscopy experiments are combined with the modeling of uranium emission for investigating the dynamics of the plume. The Saha-Eggert equation and Boltzmann plots generated from numerous U I transitions are used to infer temperature. This work also reports the measurements of uranium Stark broadening parameters for U I 499.01 nm and U II 500.82 nm transitions. The Stark widths of select U transitions were measured by comparing their linewidths with the broadening of the O I 777.19 nm line. The electron density was found to be of the order of 1016 cm−3, while the temperature was found to be in the range of 3000–9000 K. In addition to enhancing the fundamental understanding of high-Z plasmas in reduced-pressure environments, the knowledge of Stark broadening parameters could improve the modeling capabilities and analytical performance of techniques that rely on emission plasma spectroscopy.

The theoretical investigation of radiation transport in a slot

Radiation transport in a slot is a kind of complex radiation hydrodynamic process. This work focuses on the radiation energy leaking (REL) processes of the slot. We analyze the radiation hydrodynamical evolution of the high-Z and low-Z plasmas near the slot first. Then, we propose a formula referred to as the “area law” to estimate the leaking radiation power through slots with different widths. Based on the area law, the REL processes in slots with different widths are related to each other. With a dimensionless parameter λ defined as the width ratio of slots, the dependence of the leaking energy per unit area scaled with λ on the time scaled with 1/λ is independent of the slot width before the slot is nearly closed. The simulation results also show that with a proper shrinking velocity of the side wall in the area law, the leaking energy per unit area obtained from the formula agrees well with the simulation results before the slot is nearly closed.

X-Ray Line Polarization of Ne-Like Mo Spectra from X-pinch Plasmas

Linearly polarized spectral emission is induced by non-Maxwellian electrons with anisotropic velocity distributions through collisional processes with ions in plasmas. X-ray line polarization is a viable diagnostic tool for the study of these electrons, which has been tested in controlled settings, e.g., the electron beam ion trap, but due to strong depolarization effects, has been relatively unexplored in laboratory-produced high-energy-density plasmas. This paper explores the X-ray line polarization for the study of Ne-like molybdenum X-pinch plasmas. Previous polarization studies have focused mostly on K-shell spectral lines, whereas the current paper expands on these studies by investigating L-shell line polarization. The X-pinch is favorable due to its high-density plasma formation, high radiation yield, fixed hotspot location, and reliable electron beam production. L-shell X-ray line polarization and spectral emission of Mo X-pinches were investigated through dual $\alpha $ -quartz ( $2d=6.687$ A) crystal spectropolarimetry with axial and radial spatial resolution. In particular, line polarization is evaluated through a comparative analysis of relative line intensities observed over a range of Ne-like Mo transitions simultaneously recorded with two spectrometers with different sensitivity to polarization. An appreciable degree of X-ray line polarization (up to 15%) is observed in the Ne-like Mo plasmas and analyzed using depolarization effects. These results are the first polarization measurements in high-Z pulsed power plasmas.

Selection of target elements for laser-produced plasma soft x-ray sources.

We demonstrated the upper limitation to the number of shots, i.e., target lifetime, together with the number of photons emitted in the water-window soft x-ray spectral region from a number of targets used as sources in this spectral region, for multi-shot irradiation at the same position on the target surface. The spectra involved result from unresolved transition arrays originating from n=3-n=4 transitions in medium-Z element plasmas and from n=4-n=4 transitions originating in high-Z plasmas. The output flux was maintained for the highest number of shots in the case of the high melting point element molybdenum, and the total output in the water window was 7.7×1013 photons/sr at a laser power density of 1.2×1014 W/cm2.

Radiative cooling induced plasma collapse observed in laser irradiation of a CH-tamped gold micro-disk

Time-resolved x-ray self-emission imaging was used to study the dynamic evolution of a laser-produced gold plasma tamped by plastic (CH), and a significant plasma collapse was observed during the laser irradiation. The plasma collapse, a kind of transverse contraction, has been ascribed to the radial compression caused by the different radiative cooling rates and thus different pressures between the central high-Z gold plasma and the surrounding low-Z CH plasma, and this has been reproduced by numerical simulations using the two-dimensional radiation-hydrodynamics code Multi2D. The experimental results represent an observation of the radiative cooling induced plasma jet within a 1 ns laser pulse duration, much more quickly than those reported previously. In addition, our experiment design may offer a method to study the radiative cooling rates of high-Z plasmas. The measured cooling rate is a factor of 2 higher than the theoretical result [Post et al., At. Data Nucl. Data Tables 20, 397 (1977)], but is within the stated calculational uncertainty.

Generation of a sharp density increase in radiation transport between high-Z and low-Z plasmas

A sharp density increase (referred to as density incrustation) of the Au plasmas in the radiative cooling process of high-Z Au plasmas confined by low-Z CH plasmas is found through the radiative hydrodynamic simulations. The temperature of Au plasmas changes obviously in the cooling layer while the pressure remains constant. Consequently, the Au plasmas in the cooling layer are compressed, and the density incrustation is formed. It is also shown that when the high-Z plasma opacity decreases or the low-Z plasma opacity increases, the peak density of the density incrustation becomes lower and the thickness of the density incrustation becomes wider. This phenomenon is crucial to the Rayleigh–Taylor instability at the interface of high-Z and low-Z plasmas, since the density variation of Au plasmas has a considerable influence on the Atwood number of the interface.

Extended application of Kohn-Sham first-principles molecular dynamics method with plane wave approximation at high energy—From cold materials to hot dense plasmas

An extended first-principles molecular dynamics (FPMD) method based on Kohn-Sham scheme is proposed to elevate the temperature limit of the FPMD method in the calculation of dense plasmas. The extended method treats the wave functions of high energy electrons as plane waves analytically and thus expands the application of the FPMD method to the region of hot dense plasmas without suffering from the formidable computational costs. In addition, the extended method inherits the high accuracy of the Kohn-Sham scheme and keeps the information of electronic structures. This gives an edge to the extended method in the calculation of mixtures of plasmas composed of heterogeneous ions, high-Z dense plasmas, lowering of ionization potentials, X-ray absorption/emission spectra, and opacities, which are of particular interest to astrophysics, inertial confinement fusion engineering, and laboratory astrophysics.

Characteristics of extreme ultraviolet emission from high-Z plasmas

We demonstrate the extreme ultraviolet (EUV) and soft x-ray sources in the 2 to 7 nm spectral region related to the beyond EUV (BEUV) question at 6.x nm and the water window source based on laser-produced high-Z plasmas. Resonance emission from multiply charged ions merges to produce intense unresolved transition arrays (UTAs), extending below the carbon K edge (4.37 nm). An outline of a microscope design for single-shot live cell imaging is proposed based on high-Z plasma UTA source, coupled to multilayer mirror optics.

Beyond Extreme Ultra Violet (BEUV) Radiation from Spherically symmetrical High-Z plasmas

Photo-lithography is a key technology for volume manufacture of high performance and compact semiconductor devices. Smaller and more complex structures can be fabricated by using shorter wavelength light in the photolithography. One of the most critical issues in development of the next generation photo-lithography is to increase energy conversion efficiency (CE) from laser to shorter wavelength light. Experimental database of beyond extreme ultraviolet (BEUV) radiation was obtained by using spherically symmetrical high-Z plasmas generated with spherically allocated laser beams. Absolute energy and spectra of BEUV light emitted from Tb, Gd, and Mo plasmas were measured with a absolutely calibrated BEUV calorimeter and a transmission grating spectrometer. 1.0 x 1012 W/cm2 is the optimal laser intensity to produced efficient BEUV light source plasmas with Tb and Gd targets. Maximum CE is achieved at 0.8% that is two times higher than the published CEs obtained with planar targets.

Temporal behavior of unresolved transition array emission in water window soft x-ray spectral region from multiply charged ions

We have characterized the spectral structure and the temporal history of the laser-produced high-Z multi-charged ion plasmas for the efficient water window soft x-ray sources. Strong unresolved transition array emission was observed due to 4d–4f and 4f–5g transitions from Au, Pb, and Bi plasmas in the 280–700 eV photon energy region. The temporal behavior of the emission was essentially similar of that of the laser pulse with a slight delay between different transitions. These results provide feedback for accurate modeling of the atomic processes with the radiative hydrodynamic simulations.

Rate of energy change of proton traversing in hot high-Z plasmas due to nuclear collision

The rate of change of the energy of the projectile proton moving in hot Au plasmas due to the elastic binary collision between the projectile and the target ion at different density and temperature is studied based on the potential from ionic sphere model. It is found that the proton may obtain energy when its kinetic energy is less than the plasma temperature, which means that the proton and the target ion are in thermal equilibrium when the kinetic energy of the proton is around the plasma temperature. The well known model (Phys. Rev. 126, 1 (1962)) is found not to work in hot high-Z plasmas. The reason for this is explored and found relevant to the very small thermal velocity of the high-Z ion compared with the projectile. This leads to the failure to ignore the dependence of the Coulomb logarithm upon the relative velocity between the projectile and the target ion. A revised model is proposed by us and found to work well while the revised model (Phys. Rev. A 29, 2145 (1984)) is unsatisfactory in this case.

Characteristics of x-ray emission from optically thin high-Z plasmas in the soft x-ray region

The characteristics of soft x-ray emission from optically thin high-Z plasmas of gold, lead and bismuth were investigated with the large helical device. Compared to optically thicker laser-produced plasmas, significantly different spectral structures were observed due to the difference in opacities and electron temperatures. Peak structures appearing in unresolved transition arrays were identified by calculations using atomic structure codes. The main contributors of discrete line emission in each case were Pd-, Ag-, and Rh-like ion stages. The present calculations point to the overestimation of contributions for 4p–4d transitions based on intensity estimates arising purely from gA distributions that predict strong emission from 4p–4d transitions. Understanding of such spectral emission is not only important for the completion of databases of high-Z highly ion charge states but also the development of promising high brightness sources for biological imaging applications.

Density and x-ray emission profile relationships in highly ionized high-Z laser-produced plasmas

We present a benchmark measurement of the electron density profile in the region where the electron density is 1019 cm–3 and where the bulk of extreme ultraviolet (EUV) emission occurs from isotropically expanding spherical high-Z gadolinium plasmas. It was found that, due to opacity effects, the observed EUV emission is mostly produced from an underdense region. We have analyzed time-resolved emission spectra with the aid of atomic structure calculations and find the multiple ion charge states around 18+ during the laser pulse irradiation.

Characterizing the hohlraum radiation via one-end driven experiments

A new experiment is designed and performed on the Shenguang III laser facility with the first eight available beams to characterizing the hohlraum radiation, in which the hohlraum with laser entrance holes on both ends is driven through one-end only. The experiment enables us to identify the x-ray radiations originated from the hohlraum reemission wall and high-Z bubble plasmas utilizing their position and spectral characters, which provides a better test on the associated hohlraum models. The total and M-band x-ray radiation fluxes are measured with the flat response x-ray detectors and the filtered M-band x-ray detectors, respectively. Numerical simulations are conducted with the two-dimensional radiation hydrodynamic code LARED-INTEGRATION using the multi-group radiation transfer and/or diffusion models. It is found that the experimentally measured temporal profiles and angular distributions of hohlraum radiation are in good agreement with the predictions of simulation using radiation transfer models, but differ significantly from the results obtained with the multi-group radiation diffusion calculations. We thus note that to accurately represent the hohlraum radiation, a true radiation transfer model is essential.