Direct measurements of the ionization potential depression in a dense plasma.

Journal article

We have used the Linac Coherent Light Source to generate solid-density aluminum plasmas at temperatures of up to 180 eV. By varying the photon energy of the x rays that both create and probe the plasma, and observing the K-α fluorescence, we can directly measure the position of the K edge of the highly charged ions within the system. The results are found to disagree with the predictions of the extensively used Stewart-Pyatt model, but are consistent with the earlier model of Ecker and Kröll, which predicts significantly greater depression of the ionization potential.

Authors: Ciricosta, O; Vinko, S; Chung, H; Cho, B; Brown, C

• Publication status: Published
• Journal: Physical Review Letters
• Volume: 109
• Issue: 6
• Pages: 065002
• Publication date: 2012-08-01
• DOI: 10.1103/physrevlett.109.065002
• EISSN: 1079-7114
• ISSN: 0031-9007
• Language: English