Asymmetrically cut crystal pair as x-ray magnifier for imaging at high intensity laser facilities

The potential of an x-ray magnifier prepared from a pair of asymmetrically cut crystals is studied to explore high energy x-ray imaging capabilities at high intensity laser facilities. OMEGA-EP and NIF when irradiating mid and high Z targets can be a source of high-energy x-rays whose production mechanisms and use as backlighters are a subject of active research. This paper studies the properties and potential of existing asymmetric cut crystal pairs from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) built in a new enclosure for imaging x-ray sources. The technique of the x-ray magnifier has been described previously. This new approach is aimed to find a design that could be used at laser facilities by magnifying the x-ray source into a screen far away from the target chamber center, with fixed magnification defined by the crystals' lattice spacing and the asymmetry angles. The magnified image is monochromatic and the imaging wavelength is set by crystal asymmetry and incidence angles. First laboratory results are presented and discussed.     

Scaling studies with the dual crystal spectrometer at the OMEGA-EP laser facility

The dual crystal spectrometer (DCS) is an approved diagnostic at the OMEGA and the OMEGA-EP laser facilities for the measurement of high energy x-rays in the 11-90 keV energy range, e.g., for verification of the x-ray spectrum of backlighter targets of point projection radiography experiments. DCS has two cylindrically bent transmission crystal channels with image plate detectors at distances behind the crystals close to the size of the respective Rowland circle diameters taking advantage of the focusing effect of the cylindrically bent geometry. DCS, with a source to crystal distance of 1.2 m, provides the required energy dispersion for simultaneous detection of x-rays in a low energy channel (11-45 keV) and a high-energy channel (19-90 keV). A scaling study is described for varied pulse length with unchanged laser conditions (energy, focusing). The study shows that the Kα line intensity is not strongly dependent on the length of the laser pulse.     

Talbot-Lau x-ray interferometry for high energy density plasma diagnostic

High resolution density diagnostics are difficult in high energy density laboratory plasmas (HEDLP) experiments due to the scarcity of probes that can penetrate above solid density plasmas. Hard x-rays are one possible probe for such dense plasmas. We study the possibility of applying an x-ray method recently developed for medical imaging, differential phase-contrast with Talbot-Lau interferometers, for the diagnostic of electron density and small-scale hydrodynamic instabilities in HEDLP experiments. The Talbot method uses micro-periodic gratings to measure the refraction and ultra-small angle scatter of x-rays through an object and is attractive for HEDLP diagnostic due to its capability to work with incoherent and polychromatic x-ray sources such as the laser driven backlighters used for HEDLP radiography. Our paper studies the potential of the Talbot method for HEDLP diagnostic, its adaptation to the HEDLP environment, and its extension of high x-ray energy using micro-periodic mirrors. The analysis is illustrated with experimental results obtained using a laboratory Talbot interferometer.     

Quantitative measurement of hard x-ray spectra for high intensity laser produced plasma

X-ray line spectra ranging from 17 to 77 keV were quantitatively measured with a Laue spectrometer, composed of a cylindrically curved crystal and a detector. Either a visible CCD detector coupled with a CsI phosphor screen or an imaging plate can be chosen, depending on the signal intensities and exposure times. The absolute sensitivity of the spectrometer system was calibrated using pre-characterized laser-produced x-ray sources and radioisotopes. The integrated reflectivity for the crystal is in good agreement with predictions by an open code for x-ray diffraction. The energy transfer efficiency from incident laser beams to hot electrons, as the energy transfer agency for specific x-ray line emissions, is derived as a consequence of this work.     

Phase-contrast imaging using ultrafast x-rays in laser-shocked materials

High-energy x-rays, >10?keV, can be efficiently produced from ultrafast laser target interactions with many applications to dense target materials in inertial confinement fusion and high-energy density physics. These same x-rays can also be applied to measurements of low-density materials inside high-density Hohlraum environments. In the experiments presented, high-energy x-ray images of laser-shocked polystyrene are produced through phase contrast imaging. The plastic targets are nominally transparent to traditional x-ray absorption but show detailed features in regions of high density gradients due to refractive effects often called phase contrast imaging. The 200 TW Trident laser is used both to produce the x-ray source and to shock the polystyrene target. X-rays at 17 keV produced from 2 ps, 100 J laser interactions with a 12?μm molybdenum wire are used to produce a small source size, required for optimizing refractive effects. Shocks are driven in the 1 mm thick polystyrene target using 2 ns, 250 J, 532 nm laser drive with phase plates. X-ray images of shocks compare well to one-dimensional hydro calculations.     

Monochromatic x-ray radiography for areal-density measurement of inertial fusion energy fuel in fast ignition experiment

Ultrafast, two-dimensional x-ray imaging is an important diagnostics for the inertial fusion energy research, especially in investigating implosion dynamics at the final stage of the fuel compression. Although x-ray radiography was applied to observing the implosion dynamics, intense x-rays emitted from the high temperature and dense fuel core itself are often superimposed on the radiograph. This problem can be solved by coupling the x-ray radiography with monochromatic x-ray imaging technique. In the experiment, 2.8 or 5.2 keV backlight x-rays emitted from laser-irradiated polyvinyl chloride or vanadium foils were selectively imaged by spherically bent quartz crystals with discriminating the out-of-band emission from the fuel core. This x-ray radiography system achieved 24?μm and 100 ps of spatial and temporal resolutions, respectively.     

High-energy x-ray backlighter spectrum measurements using calibrated image plates

The x-ray spectrum between 18 and 88 keV generated by a petawatt laser driven x-ray backlighter target was measured using a 12-channel differential filter pair spectrometer. The spectrometer consists of a series of filter pairs on a Ta mask coupled with an x-ray sensitive image plate. A calibration of Fuji? MS and SR image plates was conducted using a tungsten anode x-ray source and the resulting calibration applied to the design of the Ross pair spectrometer. Additionally, the fade rate and resolution of the image plate system were measured for quantitative radiographic applications. The conversion efficiency of laser energy into silver Kα x rays from a petawatt laser target was measured using the differential filter pair spectrometer and compared to measurements using a single photon counting charge coupled device.     

Efficient Kalpha x-ray source from submillijoule femtosecond laser pulses operated at kilohertz repetition rate

We report an efficient Cu K(alpha) x-ray source produced by focusing submillijoule, 120 fs Ti:sapphire laser pulses on a solid copper target to a spot diameter of few microns. The experimental results show strong emission of K(alpha) x-rays from solid targets from microplasmas created by p-polarized 0.2-0.3 mJ laser pulses at 1 kHz repetition rate. We have demonstrated K(alpha) x-ray point source emission rates of 6.7 x 10(9) photonss into 2 pi sr at 1 kHz repetition rate. The source has an x-ray conversion efficiency into Cu K(alpha) line emission of 3.2 x 10(-5). The source has a measured size of approximately 8 microm. Such a high repetition rate K(alpha) x-ray source can be very useful for time resolved x-ray diffraction and radiographic applications.     

In situ laser heating and radial synchrotron x-ray diffraction in a diamond anvil cell

We report a first combination of diamond anvil cell radial x-ray diffraction with in situ laser heating. The laser-heating setup of ALS beamline 12.2.2 was modified to allow one-sided heating of a sample in a diamond anvil cell with an 80 W yttrium lithium fluoride laser while probing the sample with radial x-ray diffraction. The diamond anvil cell is placed with its compressional axis vertical, and perpendicular to the beam. The laser beam is focused onto the sample from the top while the sample is probed with hard x-rays through an x-ray transparent boron-epoxy gasket. The temperature response of preferred orientation of (Fe,Mg)O is probed as a test experiment. Recrystallization was observed above 1500 K, accompanied by a decrease in stress.     

Wave-dispersive x-ray spectrometer for simultaneous acquisition of several characteristic lines based on strongly and accurately shaped Ge crystal

Si and Ge are widely used as analyzing crystals for x-rays. Drastic and accurate shaping of Si or Ge gives significant advance in the x-ray field, although covalently bonded Si or Ge crystals have long been believed to be not deformable to various shapes. Recently, we developed a deformation technique for obtaining strongly and accurately shaped Si or Ge wafers of high crystal quality, and the use of the deformed wafer made it possible to produce fine-focused x-rays. In the present study, we prepared a cylindrical Ge wafer with a radius of curvature of 50 mm, and acquired fluorescent x-rays simultaneously from four elements by combining the cylindrical Ge wafer with a position-sensitive detector. The energy resolution of the x-ray fluorescence spectrum was as good as that obtained using a flat single crystal, and its gain was over 100. The demonstration of the simultaneous acquisition of high-resolution x-ray fluorescence spectra indicated various possibilities of x-ray spectrometry, such as one-shot x-ray spectroscopy and highly efficient wave-dispersive x-ray spectrometers.     

Differential phase contrast x-ray microimaging with scanning-imaging x-ray microscope optics

A novel x-ray microimaging system that consists of a scanning microscope optics with a one-dimensional focusing (line-focusing) device and an imaging microscope optics with a one-dimensional objective is developed. These two optical systems are set normal to each other regarding the optical axis. A two-dimensional image is obtained with one-dimensional translation scan of the line probe. During scans, positional data in the normal to the scanning direction are obtained simultaneously with the imaging microscope optics. Differential phase contrast (DPC) image and absorption contrast (AC) image can be arbitrarily obtained by image processing after data acquisition. Preliminary experiment has been carried out by using a couple of one-dimensional Fresnel zone plate as the linear-focusing device and the one-dimensional objective. Two-dimensional DPC and AC images of test sample have been successfully obtained with 8 keV x-rays.     

染料调Q的Nd3+∶YAG激光器偏振性测试

为了确定染料调Q的Nd3+:YAG激光器发射的单次激光脉冲的偏振性,利用偏振分束立方体和双通道激光能量计,实验测量了激光脉冲经偏振分束后P偏振光和S偏振光的能量比,分析总结了激光器的偏振性.结果表明:激光器偏振性个体差异很大,不存在统一性;每一台激光器都有各自的偏振性,同一台激光器前后发射的激光脉冲的偏振性可能一致,也...     

基于LCP径向偏振光输出的掺镱MOPA脉冲光纤激光器

为实现光纤激光器径向偏振光的高效输出,提出并搭建了基于液晶聚合物(LCP)的纳秒脉冲掺镱(Yb)主振荡器功率放大(MOPA)系统。该系统采用空间相位转换法,利用LCP涡旋半波片将全光纤MOPA激光器输出的高峰值功率、窄线宽、线偏振、高斯形分布的纳秒脉冲信号转换为横向强度呈空心环状分布的拉盖尔-高斯光。MOPA激光器系统由窄线宽连续种子源、电光强度调制器和后续的5级YDF放大器组成,通过实验获得了20.1 W的稳定LP01模输出。而后的LCP涡旋波片用作空间模式转换器,最终获得的平均输出功率为19.5 W,脉宽为10 ns,重复频率为10 kHz,横向剖面呈规则空心环形的径向偏振光输出,模式转换效率可达97%。另外,通过PBS测量法测得径向偏振光的模式纯度约为88.5%,兼具高功率与高纯度的优势。     

Construction and development of a time-resolved x-ray magnetic circular dichroism-photoelectron emission microscopy system using femtosecond laser pulses at BL25SU SPring-8

A femtosecond pulsed laser system has been installed at the BL25SU soft x-ray beamline at SPring-8 for time-resolved pump-probe experiments with synchronization of the laser pulses to the circularly polarized x-ray pulses. There are four different apparatuses situated at the beamline; for photoemission spectroscopy, two-dimensional display photoelectron diffraction, x-ray magnetic circular dichroism (XMCD) with electromagnetic coils, and photoelectron emission microscopy (PEEM). All four can be used for time-resolved experiments, and preliminary investigations have been carried out using the PEEM apparatus to observe magnetization dynamics in combination with XMCD. In this article, we describe the details of the stroboscopic pump-probe XMCD-PEEM experiment, and present preliminary data. The repetition rate of the laser pulses is set using a pulse selector to match the single bunches of SPring-8's hybrid filling pattern, which consists of several single bunches and a continuous bunch train. Electrons ejected during the bunch train, which do not provide time-resolved signal, are eliminated by periodically reducing the channel plate voltage using a custom-built power supply. The pulsed laser is used to create 300 ps long magnetic field pulses, which cause magnetic excitations in micron-sized magnetic elements which contain magnetic vortex structures. The observed frequency of the motion is consistent with previously reported observations and simulations.     

Design and performance of a versatile curved-crystal spectrometer for high-resolution spectroscopy in the tender x-ray range

A complete in-vacuum curved-crystal x-ray emission spectrometer in Johansson geometry has been constructed for a 2-6 keV energy range with sub natural line-width energy resolution. The spectrometer is designed to measure x-ray emission induced by photon and charged particle impact on solid and gaseous targets. It works with a relatively large x-ray source placed inside the Rowland circle and employs position sensitive detection of diffracted x-rays. Its compact modular design enables fast and easy installation at a synchrotron or particle accelerator beamline. The paper presents main characteristics of the spectrometer and illustrates its capabilities by showing few selected experimental examples.     

Absolute x-ray energy calibration over a wide energy range using a diffraction-based iterative method

In this paper, we report a method of precise and fast absolute x-ray energy calibration over a wide energy range using an iterative x-ray diffraction based method. Although accurate x-ray energy calibration is indispensable for x-ray energy-sensitive scattering and diffraction experiments, there is still a lack of effective methods to precisely calibrate energy over a wide range, especially when normal transmission monitoring is not an option and complicated micro-focusing optics are fixed in place. It is found that by using an iterative algorithm the x-ray energy is only tied to the relative offset of sample-to-detector distance, which can be readily varied with high precision of the order of 10(-5) -10(-6) spatial resolution using gauge blocks. Even starting with arbitrary initial values of 0.1 A?, 0.3 A?, and 0.4 A?, the iteration process converges to a value within 3.5 eV for 31.122 keV x-rays after three iterations. Different common diffraction standards CeO(2), Au, and Si show an energy deviation of 14 eV. As an application, the proposed method has been applied to determine the energy-sensitive first sharp diffraction peak of network forming GeO(2) glass at high pressure, exhibiting a distinct behavior in the pressure range of 2-4 GPa. Another application presented is pair distribution function measurement using calibrated high-energy x-rays at 82.273 keV. Unlike the traditional x-ray absorption-based calibration method, the proposed approach does not rely on any edges of specific elements, and is applicable to the hard x-ray region where no appropriate absorption edge is available.     

激光等离子体X射线极化光谱研究

为了诊断激光等离子体X射线的极化光谱,研制了一种新型的基于空间分辨的极化谱仪。将平面晶体和球面弯晶色散元件在极化谱仪内正交布置,即在水平通道用PET平面晶体作为色散元件,而在垂直通道用Mica球面弯晶作为色散元件,球面半径为380mm。信号采用成像板进行接收,有效接收面积为30×80mm,从等离子体光源经晶体到成像板的光路约为980mm。物理实验首次在中国工程物理研究院激光聚变研究中心“2×10J激光装置”上进行,成像板获得了铝激光等离子体X射线的光谱空间分辨信号。实验结果表明该谱仪具有较高谱分辨率,适合激光等离子体x射线极化光谱的诊断。     

An in-vacuum x-ray diffraction microscope for use in the 0.7-2.9 keV range

A dedicated in-vacuum coherent x-ray diffraction microscope was installed at the 2-ID-B beamline of the Advanced Photon Source for use with 0.7-2.9 keV x-rays. The instrument can accommodate three common implementations of diffractive imaging; plane wave illumination; defocused-probe (Fresnel diffractive imaging) and scanning (ptychography) using either a pinhole, focused or defocused probe. The microscope design includes active feedback to limit motion of the optics with respect to the sample. Upper bounds on the relative optics-to-sample displacement have been measured to be 5.8 nm(v) and 4.4 nm(h) rms/h using capacitance micrometry and 27 nm/h using x-ray point projection imaging. The stability of the measurement platform and in-vacuum operation allows for long exposure times, high signal-to-noise and large dynamic range two-dimensional intensity measurements to be acquired. Finally, we illustrate the microscope's stability with a recent experimental result.     

A photodiode amplifier system for pulse-by-pulse intensity measurement of an x-ray free electron laser

We have developed a single-shot intensity-measurement system using a silicon positive-intrinsic-negative (PIN) photodiode for x-ray pulses from an x-ray free electron laser. A wide dynamic range (10(3)-10(11) photons/pulse) and long distance signal transmission (>100 m) were required for this measurement system. For this purpose, we developed charge-sensitive and shaping amplifiers, which can process charge pulses with a wide dynamic range and variable durations (ns-μs) and charge levels (pC-μC). Output signals from the amplifiers were transmitted to a data acquisition system through a long cable in the form of a differential signal. The x-ray pulse intensities were calculated from the peak values of the signals by a waveform fitting procedure. This system can measure 10(3)-10(9) photons/pulse of ~10 keV x-rays by direct irradiation of a silicon PIN photodiode, and from 10(7)-10(11) photons/pulse by detecting the x-rays scattered by a diamond film using the silicon PIN photodiode. This system gives a relative accuracy of ~10(-3) with a proper gain setting of the amplifiers for each measurement. Using this system, we succeeded in detecting weak light at the developmental phase of the light source, as well as intense light during lasing of the x-ray free electron laser.     

Single-shot beam-position monitor for x-ray free electron laser

We have developed an x-ray beam-position monitor for detecting the radiation properties of an x-ray free electron laser (FEL). It is composed of four PIN photodiodes that detect backscattered x-rays from a semitransparent diamond film placed in the beam path. The signal intensities from the photodiodes are used to compute the beam intensity and position. A proof-of-principle experiment at a synchrotron light source revealed that the error in the beam position is reduced to below 7 μm by using a nanocrystal diamond film prepared by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition. Owing to high dose tolerance and transparency of the diamond film, the monitor is suitable for routine diagnostics of extremely intense x-ray pulses from the FEL.