K. B. Fournier

Development of a Big Area BackLighter for high energy density experiments

A very large area (7.5 mm(2)) laser-driven x-ray backlighter, termed the Big Area BackLighter (BABL) has been developed for the National Ignition Facility (NIF) to support high energy density experiments. The BABL provides an alternative to Pinhole-Apertured point-projection Backlighting (PABL) for a large field of view. This bypasses the challenges for PABL in the equatorial plane of the NIF target chamber where space is limited because of the unconverted laser light that threatens the diagnostic aperture, the backlighter foil, and the pinhole substrate. A transmission experiment using 132 kJ of NIF laser energy at a maximum intensity of 8.52 × 10(14) W/cm(2) illuminating the BABL demonstrated good conversion efficiency of >3.5% into K-shell emission producing ~4.6 kJ of high energy x rays, while yielding high contrast images with a highly uniform background that agree well with 2D simulated spectra and spatial profiles.

Imaging at an x-ray absorption edge using free electron laser pulses for interface dynamics in high energy density systems

Tuning the energy of an x-ray probe to an absorption line or edge can provide material-specific measurements that are particularly useful for interfaces. Simulated hard x-ray images above the Fe K-edge are presented to examine ion diffusion across an interface between Fe2O3 and SiO2 aerogel foam materials. The simulations demonstrate the feasibility of such a technique for measurements of density scale lengths near the interface with submicron spatial resolution. A proof-of-principle experiment is designed and performed at the Linac coherent light source facility. Preliminary data show the change of the interface after shock compression and heating with simultaneous fluorescence spectra for temperature determination. The results provide the first demonstration of using x-ray imaging at an absorption edge as a diagnostic to detect ultrafast phenomena for interface physics in high-energy-density systems.

Demonstration of a long pulse X-ray source at the National Ignition Facility

A long duration high fluence x-ray source has been developed at the National Ignition Facility (NIF). The target was a 14.4u2009mm tall, 4.1u2009mm diameter, epoxy walled, gas filled pipe. Approximately 1.34u2009MJ from the NIF laser was used to heat the mixture of (55:45) Kr:Xe at 1.2u2009atm (∼5.59u2009mg/cm3) to emit in a fairly isotropic radiant intensity of 400–600u2009GW/sr from the Ephotonu2009=u20093–7u2009keV spectral range for a duration of ≈ 14u2009ns. The HYDRA simulated radiant intensities were in reasonable agreement with experiments but deviated at late times.

X-ray transport and radiation response assessment (XTRRA) experiments at the National Ignition Facility.

Our team has developed an experimental platform to evaluate the x-ray-generated stress and impulse in materials. Experimental activities include x-ray source development, design of the sample mounting hardware and sensors interfaced to the National Ignition Facilitys diagnostics insertion system, and system integration into the facility. This paper focuses on the X-ray Transport and Radiation Response Assessment (XTRRA) test cassettes built for these experiments. The test cassette is designed to position six samples at three predetermined distances from the source, each known to within ±1% accuracy. Built-in calorimeters give in situ measurements of the x-ray environment along the sample lines of sight. The measured accuracy of sample responses as well as planned modifications to the XTRRA cassette is discussed.

Simulation study of enhancing laser driven multi-keV line-radiation through application of external magnetic fields

We present a path forward for enhancing laser driven, multi-keV line-radiation from mid- to high-Z, sub-quarter-critical density, non-equilibrium plasmas through inhibited thermal transport in the presence of an externally generated magnetic field. Preliminary simulations with Kr and Ag suggest that as much as 50%–100% increases in peak electron temperatures are possible—without any changes in laser drive conditions—with magnetized interactions. The increase in temperature results in ∼2−3× enhancements in laser-to-x-ray conversion efficiency for K-shell emission with simultaneous ≲4× reduction in L-shell emission using current field generation capabilities on the Omega laser and near-term capabilities on the National Ignition Facility laser. Increased plasma temperatures and enhanced K-shell emission are observed to come at the cost of degraded volumetric heating. Such enhancements in high-photon-energy x-ray sources could expand the existing laser platforms for increasingly penetrating x-ray radiography.

Spatially resolved density and ionization measurements of shocked foams using x-ray fluorescence

We present experiments at the Trident laser facility demonstrating the use of x-ray fluorescence (XRF) to simultaneously measure density, ionization state populations, and electron temperature in shocked foams. An imaging x-ray spectrometer obtained spatially resolved measurements of Ti K-α emission. Density profiles were measured from K-α intensity. Ti ionization state distributions and electron temperatures were inferred by fitting K-α spectra to spectra from CRETIN simulations. This work shows that XRF provides a powerful tool to complement other diagnostics to make equation of state measurements of shocked materials containing a suitable tracer element.

High power laser and explosive driven shock wave characterization in solids using fiber optic probes

Shock wave transmission and propagation in solid media is studied using fiber optic pressure and velocity probes. Shock waves are generated in two experiments using a high power laser facility as well as conventional explosives. Shock wave properties including peak overpressure, mass velocity, shock duration, impulse, arrival time and shock velocity are characterized using fiber tip interferometric displacement sensors and Fabry-Perot pressure sensors. Measurements are conducted in polymethyl methacrylate and limestone. The probes recorded shock pressures up to 0.1 GPa (1 kbar). Measurements from the fiber optic sensors are shown to be in close agreement with measurements from an electrical sensor based on a Dremin loop.

Scaled experiments of explosions in cavities

Consequences of an explosion inside an air-filled cavity under the earths surface are partly duplicated in a laboratory experiment on spatial scales 1000 smaller. The experiment measures shock pressures coupled into a block of material by an explosion inside a gas-filled cavity therein. The explosion is generated by suddenly heating a thin foil that is located near the cavity center with a short laser pulse, which turns the foil into expanding plasma, most of whose energy drives a blast wave in the cavity gas. Variables in the experiment are the cavity radius and explosion energy. Measurements and GEODYN code simulations show that shock pressures measured in the block exhibit a weak dependence on scaled cavity radius up to ∼25u2009m/kt1/3, above which they decrease rapidly. Possible mechanisms giving rise to this behavior are described. The applicability of this work to validating codes used to simulate full-scale cavity explosions is discussed.