TIME-RESOLVED HIGH-ENERGY X-RAY-SPECTRA OF LASER-IRRADIATED TARGETS

Temporally resolved x-ray spectra in the range of 1-20 keV have been obtained from laser-irradiated high-Z disk targets. We obtain the first time-resolved direct observation of the suprathermal x-ray tail resulting from hot-electron generation due to collective processes. The measurements indicated that the suprathermal temperature H has a temporal behavior which essentially follows the laser pulse of intensity I, implying a relation HIn, n1, an unexpected result. © 1979 The American Physical Society.