CHARACTERISTICS OF HARD X-RAY-EMISSION FROM SUBPICOSECOND LASER-PRODUCED PLASMAS

Calibrated thermoluminescence dosimeters have been used to measure the angular and spectral dependence of hard x-ray emission produced from intense subpicosecond laser irradiation of solid targets. A dosimeter detector set with nine filter channels (13.5-400 keV) has been tested successfully. Total bremsstrahlung conversion up to 0.23% and conversi on of 8X10(-5) from laser energy to Ta K alpha line emission (photon e nergy approximate to 57 keV) was determined. The scaling of the hard x -ray yield with laser intensities ranging from 3X10(16) to 3X10(18) W/ cm(2) was investigated. (C) 1996 American Institute of Physics.