Fresnel Zone Plate Imaging of Laser-Driven Hydrodynamic Instabilities

Fresnel Zone Plate Imaging addresses the need for μm-scale resolution in laser-driven hydrodynamic campaigns as a diffractive optic collecting a larger solid angle than a pinhole imager yet producing a sharp, well-defined focus. The design of the camera (including the diffractive optic), optimization of the radiographic conjugates, and subsequent analysis of image data are aided by forward modeling of the multiple diffractive orders while accounting for the spectral content of the backlighter source. Here, we describe designs generated for common platforms fielded at the University of Rochester’s Laboratory for Laser Energetics and show the results of experiments where emphasis has been placed on compatibility with standard manipulators and X-Ray Framing Cameras typically used for pinhole imaging. In particular, a design for the standard 25x nosecone assembly where the diffractive optic is placed a little more than 2 cm from target chamber center and Fresnel Zone Plate Imaging is compared side-by-side with 15 μm pinhole imaging.

 

This work was supported by the U.S. Department of Energy through Los Alamos National Laboratory, operated by Triad National Security, LLC, for the National Nuclear Security Administration under Contract No. 89233218CNA000001.