The X-ray laser as a tool for imaging plasmas

The X-ray laser is being used at LLNL as a tool for measuring the behaviors of hot dense plasmas. In particular, we have used the 155 /spl Aring/ Yttrium laser to study transient plasmas by both radiography and Moire deflectometry. These techniques have been used to probe plasma at electron densities exceeding 10/sup 22/ cm/sup -3/. The short pulse of this X-ray laser probe has made it possible to directly image ion densities in directly driven thin foils to an accuracy of 1-2 /spl mu/m. In addition, we are constructing an X-ray laser interferometer using multilayer beamsplitters. If successful, this will lead to /spl mu/m spatial resolution measurements of electron densities in plasmas.