Dependence of hard x-ray yield on laser pulse parameters in the wavelength-cubed regime

Abstract

Conversion efficiency and electron temperature scaling laws are experimentally studied in the wavelength-cubed (λ3) regime, where a single-wavelength focus allows low energy pulses incident on a Mo target to produce x rays with excellent efficiency and improved spatial coherence. Focused intensity is varied from 2×1016 to 2×1018 W/cm2. Conversion efficiency and electron temperature are best described by a power law for energy scaling while an exponential law best describes the scaling of these parameters with pulse duration.