Effects of ion dynamics and opacity on Stark-broadened argon line profiles

Solid-Density Ion Temperature from Redshifted and Double-Peaked Stark Line Shapes

Heβ spectral line shapes are important for diagnosing temperature and density in many dense plasmas. This work presents Heβ line shapes measured with high spectral resolution from solid-density plasmas with minimized gradients. The line shapes show hallmark features of Stark broadening, including quantifiable redshifts and double-peaked structure with a significant dip between the peaks; these features are compared to models through a Markov chain Monte Carlo framework. Line shape theory using the dipole approximation can fit the width and peak separation of measured line shapes, but it cannot resolve an ambiguity between electron density n_{e} and ion temperature T_{i}, since both parameters influence the strength of quasistatic ion microfields. Here a line shape model employing a full Coulomb interaction for the electron broadening computes self-consistent line widths and redshifts through the monopole term; redshifts have different dependence on plasma parameters and thus resolve the n_{e}-T_{i} ambiguity. The measured line shapes indicate densities that are 80-100% of solid, identifying a regime of highly ionized but well-tamped plasma. This analysis also provides the first strong evidence that dense ions and electrons are not in thermal equilibrium, despite equilibration times much shorter than the duration of x-ray emission; cooler ions may arise from nonclassical thermalization rates or anomalous energy transport. The experimental platform and diagnostic technique constitute a promising new approach for studying ion-electron equilibration in dense plasmas.

Stark-Broadening of Ar K-Shell Lines: A Comparison between Molecular Dynamics Simulations and MERL Results

Analysis of Stark-broadened spectral line profiles is a powerful, non-intrusive diagnostic technique to extract the electron density of high-energy-density plasmas. The increasing number of applications and availability of spectroscopic measurements have stimulated new research on line broadening theory calculations and computer simulations, and their comparison. Here, we discuss a comparative study of Stark-broadened line shapes calculated with computer simulations using non-interacting and interacting particles, and with the multi-electron radiator line shape MERL code. In particular, we focus on Ar K-shell X-ray line transitions in He- and H-like ions, i.e., Heα, Heβ and Heγ in He-like Ar and Lyα, Lyβ and Lyγ in H-like Ar. These lines have been extensively used for X-ray spectroscopy of Ar-doped implosion cores in indirect- and direct-drive inertial confinement fusion (ICF) experiments. The calculations were done for electron densities ranging from 1023 to 3×1024 cm−3 and a representative electron temperature of 1 keV. Comparisons of electron broadening only and complete line profiles including electron and ion broadening effects, as well as Doppler, are presented. Overall, MERL line shapes are narrower than those from independent and interacting particles computer simulations performed at the same conditions. Differences come from the distinctive treatments of electron broadening and are more pronounced in α line transitions. We also discuss the recombination broadening mechanism that naturally emerges from molecular dynamics simulations and its influence on the line shapes. Furthermore, we assess the impact of employing either molecular dynamics or MERL line profiles on the diagnosis of core conditions in implosion experiments performed on the OMEGA laser facility.

Conductive-bridging random-access memories for emerging neuromorphic computing

With the increasing utilisation of artificial intelligence, there is a renewed demand for the development of novel neuromorphic computing owing to the drawbacks of the existing computing paradigm based on the von Neumann architecture. Extensive studies have been performed on memristors as their electrical nature is similar to those of biological synapses and neurons. However, most hardware-based artificial neural networks (ANNs) have been developed with oxide-based memristors owing to their high compatibility with mature complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) processes. Considering the advantages of conductive-bridging random-access memories (CBRAMs), such as their high scalability, high on-off current with a wide dynamic range, and low off-current, over oxide-based memristors, extensive studies on CBRAMs are required. In this review, the basics of operation of CBRAMs are examined in detail, from the formation of metal nanoclusters to filament bridging. Additionally, state-of-the-art experimental demonstrations of CBRAM-based artificial synapses and neurons are presented. Finally, CBRAM-based ANNs are discussed, including deep neural networks and spiking neural networks, along with other emerging computing applications. This review is expected to pave the way toward further development of large-scale CBRAM array systems.

Measurements of core and compressed-shell temperature and density conditions in thick-wall target implosions at the OMEGA laser facility

A spectroscopic method is discussed to measure core and compressed-shell conditions in thick-wall plastic-shell implosions filled with deuterium and a tracer amount of argon. Simultaneous observation over a broad photon energy range of the argon line emission and the attenuation and self-emission effects of the compressed shell confining the core yields enough information to extract average temperature and density conditions in both core and compressed shell. The spectroscopic analysis also provides an estimate of the target areal density which is an important characteristic of inertial confinement fusion implosions.

Analysis of time-resolved argon line spectra from OMEGA direct-drive implosions

We discuss the observation and data analysis of argon K-shell line spectra from argon-doped deuterium-filled OMEGA direct-drive implosion cores based on data recorded with two streaked crystal spectrometers. The targets were 870 microm in diameter, 27 microm wall thickness plastic shells filled with 20 atm of deuterium gas, and a tracer amount of argon for diagnostic purposes. The argon K-shell line spectrum is primarily emitted at the collapse of the implosion and its analysis provides a spectroscopic diagnostic of the core implosion conditions. The observed spectra includes the He alpha, Ly alpha, He beta, He gamma, Ly beta, and Ly gamma line emissions and their associated He- and Li-like satellites thus covering a broad photon energy range from 3100 to 4200 eV with a spectral resolution power of approximately 500. The data analysis relies on detailed atomic and spectral models that take into account nonequilibrium collisional-radiative atomic kinetics, Stark-broadened line shapes, and radiation transport calculations.

Spectroscopic determination of temperature and density spatial profiles and mix in indirect-drive implosion cores

In the field of inertial confinement fusion (ICF), work has been consistently progressing in the past decade toward a more fundamental understanding of the plasma conditions in ICF implosion cores. The research presented here represents a substantial evolution in the ability to diagnose plasma temperatures and densities, along with characteristics of mixing between fuel and shell materials. Mixing is a vital property to study and quantify, since it can significantly affect implosion quality. We employ a number of new spectroscopic techniques that allow us to probe these important quantities. The first technique developed is an emissivity analysis, which uses the emissivity ratio of the optically thin Lybeta and Hebeta lines to spectroscopically extract temperature profiles, followed by the solution of emissivity equations to infer density profiles. The second technique, an intensity analysis, models the radiation transport through the implosion core. The nature of the intensity analysis allows us to use an optically thick line, the Lyalpha, to extract information on mixing near the core edge. With this work, it is now possible to extract directly from experimental data not only detailed temperature and density maps of the core, but also spatial mixing profiles.

Dopant radiative cooling effects in indirect-drive Ar-doped capsule implosion experiments

We present results from simulations performed to investigate the effects of dopant radiative cooling in inertial confinement fusion indirect-drive capsule implosion experiments. Using a one-dimensional radiation-hydrodynamics code that includes inline collisional-radiative modeling, we compute in detail the non-local thermodynamic equilibrium atomic kinetics and spectral characteristics for Ar-doped DD fuel. Specifically, we present results from a series of calculations in which the concentration of the Ar is varied, and examine the sensitivity of the fuel conditions (e.g., electron temperature) and neutron yield to the Ar dopant concentration. Simulation results are compared with data obtained in OMEGA indirect-drive experiments in which monochromatic imaging and spectral measurements of Ar Hebeta and Lybeta line emission were recorded. The incident radiation drive on the capsule is computed with a three-dimensional view factor code using the laser beam pointings and powers from the OMEGA experiments. We also examine the sensitivity of the calculated compressed core electron temperatures and neutron yields to the radiation drive on the capsule and to the radiation and atomic modeling in the simulations.

Hot dense capsule-implosion cores produced by Z-pinch dynamic Hohlraum radiation

Hot dense capsule implosions driven by Z-pinch x rays have been measured using a approximately 220 eV dynamic Hohlraum to implode 1.7-2.1 mm diameter gas-filled CH capsules. The capsules absorbed up to approximately 20 kJ of x rays. Argon tracer atom spectra were used to measure the T(e) approximately 1 keV electron temperature and the n(e) approximately 1-4 x 10(23) cm(-3) electron density. Spectra from multiple directions provide core symmetry estimates. Computer simulations agree well with the peak emission values of T(e), n(e), and symmetry, indicating reasonable understanding of the Hohlraum and implosion physics.

Shell mix in the compressed core of spherical implosions

The Rayleigh-Taylor instability in its highly nonlinear, turbulent stage causes atomic-scale mixing of the shell material with the fuel in the compressed core of inertial-confinement fusion targets. The density of shell material mixed into the outer core of direct-drive plastic-shell spherical-target implosions on the 60-beam, OMEGA laser system is estimated to be 3.4(+/-1.2) g/cm(3) from time-resolved x-ray spectroscopy, charged-particle spectroscopy, and core x-ray images. The estimated fuel density, 3.6(+/-1) g/cm(3), accounts for only approximately 50% of the neutron-burn-averaged electron density, n(e)=2.2(+/-0.4)x10(24) cm(-3).

Spectroscopic determination of dynamic plasma gradients in implosion cores

The time-dependent gradient structure of a laser-compressed, high-energy-density plasma has been determined using a method based on the simultaneous analysis of time-resolved x-ray monochromatic images and x-ray line spectra from Ar-doped D2 implosion cores. The analysis self-consistently determines the temperature and density gradients that yield the best fits to the spatial-emissivity profiles and spectral line shapes. This measurement is important for understanding the spectra formation and plasma dynamics associated with the implosion process. In addition, since the results are independent of hydrodynamic simulations, they are also important for comparison with fluid-dynamic models.

Full coulomb calculation of stark broadened spectra from multielectron ions: A focus on the dense plasma line shift

Recently, there has been growing experimental evidence for redshifts in line spectra from highly ionized, high-Z radiators immersed in hot, dense plasmas [O. Renner et al., J. Quant. Spectrosc. Radiat. Transf. 58, 851 (1997); C. F. Hooper et al., in Strongly Coupled Coulomb Systems (Plenum, New York, 1998); N. C. Woolsey et al., J. Quant. Spectrosc. Radiat. Transf. 65, 573 (2000); A. Saemann et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 82, 4843 (1999)]. A full Coulomb, multielectron formalism of line broadening due to perturbation by plasma electrons will be presented. A red line shift and asymmetries arise naturally from employing a full Coulomb expression for the perturber-radiator interaction, rather than applying the dipole approximation. This formalism can now be applied to arbitrary multielectron radiating ions.

Accuracy of K-shell spectra modeling in high-density plasmas

We present spectroscopic measurements of the helium-like and lithium-like argon emission supported by Thomson scattering diagnostics on gas bag targets. These data provide critical tests of plasma spectroscopic K-shell models. In particular, we have measured the line radiation in the wavelength region of the He-like Ar 1s(2)-1s3l transition (He-beta) that is of interest for density and temperature measurements of plasmas from gas-filled targets (n(e)</=10(21) cm(-3)), laser ablation targets (n(e)</=10(22) cm(-3)), and inertial confinement fusion capsule implosions (n(e)>/=10(24) cm(-3)). The spectra show lithium-like dielectronic satellites on the red wing of the He-beta line that are temperature sensitive and are known to influence the shape of the Stark-broadened line profiles observed from implosions. To examine the kinetics modeling of this complex, i.e., the He-beta and its associated satellites, we have performed experiments in gas bag plasmas at densities of (0.6-1.1)x10(21) cm(-3) where we independently determine the electron temperature with ultraviolet Thomson scattering. The comparison of the satellite intensities with kinetics modeling shows good agreement for satellites whose upper states are populated by dielectronic capture, but shows discrepancies for inner-shell collisional excited transitions.