Time-resolved x-ray spectrometer for opacity study through Z-pinch dynamic Hohlraum radiation.

This article focuses on the development and application of a new time-resolved x-ray spectrometer at China's 10-MA pulsed power facility for studying the opacity of high-temperature aluminum-iron (Al + Fe) plasma heated by Z-pinch dynamic Hohlraum radiation. The spectrometer employs a six-slit imaging system with a gating time of approximately 1.1 ns, enabling improved signal-to-noise ratio and spectral resolution compared to time-integrated methods. Experimental measurements of Al plasma absorption spectra, analyzed via collisional-radiative modeling under local thermodynamic equilibrium assumptions, indicate plasma temperatures around 112 eV and ion densities near 1.1 × 10²¹ cm⁻³. The study highlights challenges in measuring iron opacity due to low signal quality and outlines future plans to enhance spectral range and spatial resolution using improved crystal diffraction techniques.