Systematic search for spherical crystal X-ray microscopes matching 1-25 keV spectral line sources.

Spherical-crystal microscopes are used as high-resolution imaging devices for monochromatic x-ray radiography or for imaging the source itself. Crystals and Miller indices (hkl) have to be matched such that the resulting lattice spacing d is close to half the spectral wavelength used for imaging, to fulfill the Bragg equation with a Bragg angle near 90 which reduces astigmatism. Only a few suitable crystal and spectral-line combinations have been identified for applications in the literature, suggesting that x-ray imaging using spherical crystals is constrained to a few chance matches.

Performance of bent-crystal x-ray microscopes for high energy density physics research.

We present calculations for the field of view (FOV), image fluence, image monochromaticity, spectral acceptance, and image aberrations for spherical crystal microscopes, which are used as self-emission imaging or backlighter systems at large-scale high energy density physics facilities. Our analytic results are benchmarked with ray-tracing calculations as well as with experimental measurements from the 6.151 keV backlighter system at Sandia National Laboratories.

Parametric amplification of laser-driven electron acceleration in underdense plasma.

A new mechanism is reported that increases electron energy gain from a laser beam of ultrarelativistic intensity in underdense plasma. The increase occurs when the laser produces an ion channel that confines accelerated electrons. The frequency of electron oscillations across the channel is strongly modulated by the laser beam, which causes parametric amplification of the oscillations and enhances the electron energy gain.

Characterizing plasma mirrors near breakdown.

Experiments dedicated to the characterization of plasma mirrors with a high energy, single shot short-pulse laser were performed at the 100 TW target area of the Z-Backlighter Facility at Sandia National Laboratories. A suite of beam diagnostics was used to characterize a high energy laser pulse with a large aperture through focus imaging setup. By varying the fluence on the plasma mirror around the plasma ignition threshold, critical performance parameters were determined and a more detailed understanding of the way in which a plasma mirror works could be deduced.