Investigating high speed phenomena in laser plasma interactions using dilation x-ray imager (invited)

Area of Science:

• High-energy-density physics
• Inertial confinement fusion
• Plasma physics

Background:

• Conventional x-ray framing cameras at NIF have ≈100 ps resolution.
• 1D streaked imaging is typically required for sub-10 ps temporal resolution.
• Advanced diagnostics are crucial for understanding complex high-energy-density phenomena.

Purpose of the Study:

• Introduce and characterize the DIlation X-ray Imager (DIXI).
• Demonstrate DIXI's capability for high-temporal-resolution x-ray imaging.
• Enable new investigations in warm-dense-matter physics and fusion science.

Main Methods:

• Utilized the pulse-dilation technique for electron velocity manipulation.
• Characterized temporal response, spatial resolution, and x-ray sensitivity using a short x-ray impulse from the COMET laser.
• Employed a pinhole array for imaging onto a photocathode with ≈64× magnification at NIF.

Main Results:

• Achieved temporal resolution of <10 ps, a ≈10× improvement over existing NIF cameras.
• Demonstrated sensitivity to x-rays in the ≈2-17 keV range.
• Presented initial findings on electron-transport phenomena in buried-layer foil experiments.

Conclusions:

• DIXI provides a significant advancement in high-speed x-ray imaging capabilities.
• The camera enables temporally resolved studies of hot-spot formation, fuel motion, and mix in fusion experiments.
• DIXI is a valuable tool for advancing warm-dense-matter physics and high-energy-density science.