Electronic structure investigation of highly compressed aluminum with K edge absorption spectroscopy.

The electronic structure evolution of highly compressed aluminum has been investigated using time resolved K edge x-ray absorption spectroscopy. A long laser pulse (500 ps, I(L)≈8×10(13) W/cm(2)) was used to create a uniform shock. A second ps pulse (I(L)≈10(17) W/cm(2)) generated an ultrashort broadband x-ray source near the Al K edge. The main target was designed to probe aluminum at reshocked conditions up to now unexplored (3 times the solid density and temperatures around 8 eV). The hydrodynamical conditions were obtained using rear side visible diagnostics. Data were compared to ab initio and dense plasma calculations, indicating potential improvements in either description. This comparison shows that x-ray-absorption near-edge structure measurements provide a unique capability to probe matter at these extreme conditions and severally constrains theoretical approaches currently used.

Direct density measurement of shock-compressed iron using hard x rays generated by a short laser pulse.

We present the application of short-pulse laser-driven hard x rays (>40 keV) for the direct density measurement of iron compressed by a laser-driven shock. By using an on-shot calibration of the spectral absorption, we are able to obtain line densities with 5%-10% precision, although the x-ray source is not monochromatic. We also discuss possibilities for increasing the precision, which would be an improvement for equation of state measurements.

Interaction of soft-x-ray thermal radiation with foam-layered targets.

We have studied the interaction of soft-x-ray thermal radiation with foam-layered metal targets. X-ray radiation was produced by focusing a high-energy laser inside a small size hohlraum. An increment in shock pressure, up to a factor of approximately 4 for 50 mg/cm(3) foam density, was observed with the foam layer as compared to bare metal targets. This follows from the propagation of radiation-driven shock wave in the foam and the impedance mismatch at the foam-payload interface.

Equation of state data for iron at pressures beyond 10 Mbar.

We present equation of state points for iron, in the pressure range 10-45 Mbar, the first obtained with laser-driven shock waves. The experiment has been performed with the high energy laser Phebus, optically smoothed with Kinoform phase plates. Our results double the set of existing experimental data at very high pressures showing good agreement with the predictions of the quotidian equation of state model and with previous results.