Spherically bent crystal for X-ray imaging of laser produced plasmas

In the fast ignition approach to inertial confinement fusion (ICF), the ignition is expected to be triggered by an ultra-high intensity laser-produced fast electron beam, propagating and releasing its energy at the core of the shock-compressed deuterium-tritium (DT) capsule. Therefore the study of fast electron generation and transport is crucial for fast ignition science. As a consequence of fast electron transport. K-shell ionization of the medium atoms is produced with the subsequent emission of a K-alpha photon. The imaging of K-alpha sources is therefore very useful to obtain both quantitative and qualitative information on fast electron transport. Spherically bent crystals can provide 2-D spatially resolved and mono-energetic images of the K-a source and are widely used in several fast ignition oriented experiments. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.