Monochromatic X-ray backlighting of dense Z-pinch plasmas using an X-pinch X-ray source

Summary form only given. X-ray backlighting of high density plasmas such as the Z-inches being produced on PBFA-Z can be extremely effective diagnostic tool. Monochromatic X-ray backlighting using imaging X-ray optical elements offers a way to use the backlighting technique with a backlighter X-ray source that is a many-orders-of-magnitude less powerful X-ray source than the plasma being probed. X-pinch plasmas, produced by using 2 or more fine wires as the load of 250-350 kA pulsed power generators, and spherically bent mica crystal X-ray optical elements, have been used to backlight test objects and exploding wire plasmas using monochromatic X-rays ranging from 1.8 keV to 7.8 keV. The field of view can be as large as a few cm by a few mm, and spatial resolution as fine as 4 /spl mu/m has been demonstrated. For example, the He-like Ni line at 1.588 /spl Aring/ has been used to image test objects with spatial resolution of about 10 /spl mu/m. In this case, the backlight source size is about 0.1 mm and the pulse width is /spl sim/1 ns. We estimate that this Ni line powered by a 350 kA pulser could be used as a backlighter of a Z-pinch such as that produced by PBFA-Z having an intensity up to (1-10) kJ//spl Aring/ in the bandwidth of the backlighter line.