K-ALPHA SPECTROSCOPY AS TEMPERATURE DIAGNOSTIC OF DENSE KALIF PLASMAS

The Karlsruhe Light Ion Facility (''KALIF'') enables us to heat materi al by proton impact. For solid targets in the proton focus we reach a specific energy deposition between 1 and 10 MJ/g resulting in a hot an d dense plasma. To study the plasma development we exploit the satelli te structure of the K-alpha soft X-rays emitted or absorbed by the pla sma produced by subrange targets. The experimental results are compare d with corresponding calculations. Time-integrated K-alpha emission sp ectra have been observed for Al and Si. They show that the peak kT in the target plasma can be above 20 eV. The spectra also give some clue as to the beam intensity of each individual KALIF shot. For K-alpha ab sorption spectroscopy a Nd : YAG laser system was installed. It is use d to provide soft X-ray backlighter radiation from a laser induced pla sma. Different elements were studied as laser targets to cover the K-a lpha absorption features of the elements around Al. We found the M tra nsition group of the rare earth elements useful with respect to the wa velengths needed. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.