X-ray spectroscopy of a thin foil plasma produced by a short-pulse high-intensity laser

High density and temperature plasmas have been generated by irradiating thin foils of various elements with a high-energy subpicosecond laser pulse. The X-ray emission duration was studied by time-resolved X-ray spectroscopy. Frequency domain interferometry provided a measurement of the hydrodynamic expansion of the back of the foil as a function of time. The effect of longitudinal temperature gradients, i.e., gradients perpendicular to the surface, were decreased using very thin foil targets. Additionally, radial gradients effects, i.e., gradients parallel to the surface, were limited by using a 50 mum pinhole on target. The Al, Se and Sm spectra, recorded in the range 7.7-8 Angstrom using a conical crystal spectrometer coupled to an 800 fs resolution streak camera, lasted a few picoseconds. Sm spectra showed no spectral features in this wavelength range, providing a spectrally homogeneous backlighter for future experiments. The main features of the experimental time-resolved spectra have been well reproduced with one-dimensional hydrodynamic simulations of the free expansion of a plasma heated at a given initial temperature obtained from the expansion velocity of the rear critical surface of the plasma. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.