Time-Resolved, Multi-frame X-Ray Imaging of Laser-Produced Plasmas.

A novel x-ray imaging system based on a microchannel-plate combined with a multi-pinhole camera has been employed to study x-ray emission from laser-produced plasmas in the 0.5-3 keV photon energy range. In particular, the interaction of intense laser radiation with such plasmas, under conditions relevant to inertial confinement fusion, was monitored by recording a sequence of consecutive x-ray images with a temporal resolution of 140 ps and a spatial resolution of 10 μm. These images provide valuable information on the main physical mechanisms involved in the interaction process, including collisional absorption of the incident laser energy and electron thermal conduction.