Study of laser-imploded core plasmas with an advanced Kirkpatrick–Baez x-ray microscope

Abstract

We developed an advanced Kirkpatrick–Baez (AKB) x-ray microscope which consisted of two hyperbolic mirrors and two elliptic mirrors. The spatial resolution of ≲3 μm was realized over ∼1 mm diam. This AKB microscope was used for x-ray imaging in laser fusion experiments. Laser absorption nonuniformity with a large wave number on a spherical solid target or a plane slab target was estimated by measurements of x-ray emission from the target surface with the microscope. The x-ray images of the imploded core plasmas were also obtained with the AKB microscope, changing the laser focus condition and the laser energy balance.