Temperatures following x-ray free-electron-laser heating of thin low- and medium-Z solid targets

The absorption of ultrashort (100 fs or shorter) bursts of x-ray free-electron laser (XFEL) radiation by thin (less than an attenuation length) solid carbon and iron target is modeled. Photon energies of several hundred eV to several keV and intensities of 10(16) to 10(18) W cm(-2) are considered. We calculate carbon and iron temperatures at sufficient times after XFEL irradiation that local thermodynamic equilibrium has been established and electron-ion thermalization has occurred, assuming classical heat capacities. It is shown that there is an optimum photon energy for maximizing temperatures. Constant irradiation at 10(18) W cm(-2) for 100 fs with photons of 2 and 3 keV, for example, is predicted to result in a temperature of over 500 eV in solid density carbon and over 1 keV in solid density iron, respectively. (C) 2011 American Institute of Physics. [doi: 10.1063/1.3546031]