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Updated: Mar 11, 2026

Investigation of Early Plasma Evolution Induced by Ultrashort Laser Pulses
Published on: July 2, 2012
Talbot-Lau x-ray deflectometer electron density diagnostic for laser and pulsed power high energy density plasma
M P Valdivia1, D Stutman1, C Stoeckl2
1Department of Physics and Astronomy, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21218, USA.
Abstract:
Talbot-Lau X-ray deflectometry (TXD) has been developed as an electron density diagnostic for High Energy Density (HED) plasmas. The technique can deliver x-ray refraction, attenuation, elemental composition, and scatter information from a single Moiré image. An 8 keV Talbot-Lau interferometer was deployed using laser and x-pinch backlighters. Grating survival and electron density mapping were demonstrated for 25-29 J, 8-30 ps laser pulses using copper foil targets. Moiré pattern formation and grating survival were also observed using a copper x-pinch driven at 400 kA, ∼1 kA/ns. These results demonstrate the potential of TXD as an electron density diagnostic for HED plasmas.
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