Multispectral X-ray imaging for core temperature and density maps retrieval in direct drive implosions

We report on the experiments aimed at obtaining core temperature and density maps in direct drive implosions at the Omega laser facility using multimonochromatic x-ray imagers. These instruments use an array of pinholes and a flat multilayer mirror to provide unique multispectral images distributed over a wide spectral range. Using argon as a dopant in the direct-drive filled plastic shells produces emission images in the Ar He-beta and Ly-beta spectral regions. These images allow the retrieval of temperature and density maps of the plasma. We deployed three identical multimonochromatic x-ray imagers in a quasiorthogonal line-of-sight configuration to allow tomographic reconstruction of the structure of the imploding core. (c) 2006 American Institute of Physics.