Beamstop-free small-angle X-ray scattering for multiscale structure measurement of high-energy-density plasma

The advent of free-electron lasers has enabled in-situ small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) measurements of laser-produced high-energy-density plasma at solid density, with nanometer- and femtosecond-scale resolution. Such plasmas generally exhibit gentle density gradients, which suppress large-angle scattering signals while small-angle scattering components dominate near the direct X-ray beam; the latter signals were hard to access in the conventional SAXS method due to the use of a beamstop. Here, we demonstrate a beamstop-free SAXS system comprising layered metallic filters for optimal attenuation of diffraction signals. It enables continuous acquisition of wide q -range/angular scattering signals with a large dynamic range, including the critical small-angle region containing the direct X-ray beam. This method was applied to a two-dimensional array of submicron columnar plasmas generated by irradiating a high-intensity laser pulse onto an assembly of high-aspect-ratio silicon rods with well-defined sharp edges. We experimentally resolve the microscale and macroscale rarefaction dynamics of bulk electrons driven by the pump-laser pre-pulse and main pulse, revealing the initial plasma scale length as a key parameter governing laser absorption in structured targets. Beamstop-free SAXS enables single-shot multiscale structure measurement and establishes a route toward exploration of stochastic plasma dynamics under high-energy-density conditions, including filamentation instability and turbulence.

Authors

Institutions

Publication Details

Journal
Communications Physics
Published
2026-10-16
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1038/s42005-026-02872-5
Primary Topic
Laser-Plasma Interactions and Diagnostics
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.00

Funders

Controls
|||
ALL TIME
JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUN
JUL
AUG
SEP
OCT
article

Beamstop-free small-angle X-ray scattering for multiscale structure measurement of high-energy-density plasma

S. Egashira, 智也 田口, Lingen Huang, K. Sakai et al.
Communications Physics
Laser-Plasma Interactions and Diagnostics
article

Beamstop-free small-angle X-ray scattering for multiscale structure measurement of high-energy-density plasma

S. Egashira, 智也 田口, Lingen Huang, K. Sakai, Ryutaro Matsui, Yasuaki Kishimoto, T. Kluge, K. Shigemori, Genki Kamimura, A. Morace, Keiichi Sueda, Alejandro Laso García, B. Albertazzi, 上原 直希, T. Yabuuchi, M. Nakatsutsumi, Masato Ota, Yuji Fukuda, ALEXANDER S. PIROZHKOV, Norimasa Ozaki, 新田 蒼真, Kosuke MAEDA, Tatiana A Pikuz, Takumi Yasuda, Yoshiharu Nakagawa, T. E. Cowan, Yuichi Inubushi, Michel Koenig, Melanie Rödel, Yuji Fukuyama, Yasuhiro Kuramitsu, Y. Sakawa, Hirotaka Nakamura, Takeshi Matuoka, Hiroshi Sakaguchi, Tadashi Togashi, Kazuhiro Fukami, H. Habara, Y. Abe, 康平 遠藤, Kohei Miyanishi, Tomohiro Izumi, Yuto Maeda, Takumi Minami, Hiroki Ishiara, Otono Kuramoto, Yushiro Matsumoto
article en

Abstract

The advent of free-electron lasers has enabled in-situ small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) measurements of laser-produced high-energy-density plasma at solid density, with nanometer- and femtosecond-scale resolution. Such plasmas generally exhibit gentle density gradients, which suppress large-angle scattering signals while small-angle scattering components dominate near the direct X-ray beam; the latter signals were hard to access in the conventional SAXS method due to the use of a beamstop. Here, we demonstrate a beamstop-free SAXS system comprising layered metallic filters for optimal attenuation of diffraction signals. It enables continuous acquisition of wide q -range/angular scattering signals with a large dynamic range, including the critical small-angle region containing the direct X-ray beam. This method was applied to a two-dimensional array of submicron columnar plasmas generated by irradiating a high-intensity laser pulse onto an assembly of high-aspect-ratio silicon rods with well-defined sharp edges. We experimentally resolve the microscale and macroscale rarefaction dynamics of bulk electrons driven by the pump-laser pre-pulse and main pulse, revealing the initial plasma scale length as a key parameter governing laser absorption in structured targets. Beamstop-free SAXS enables single-shot multiscale structure measurement and establishes a route toward exploration of stochastic plasma dynamics under high-energy-density conditions, including filamentation instability and turbulence.

Communications PhysicsVol. 9(1)
Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (FR), École Polytechnique (FR), Osaka University of Economics (JP), The Graduate University for Advanced Studies, SOKENDAI (JP), Kyoto University (JP), Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (DE), Osaka City University (JP), Sorbonne Université (FR), Laboratoire pour l'Utilisation des Lasers Intenses (FR), Institute for Laser Technology (JP), SPring-8 (JP), National Institute for Fusion Science (JP), Japan Synchrotron Radiation Research Institute (JP), National Institutes for Quantum Science and Technology (JP), Equilibrium Research (GB), Kansai Institute for Photon Science (JP), Institute of Advanced Energy, Kyoto University (JP), European X-Ray Free-Electron Laser (DE), The University of Osaka (JP)
Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, Japan Society for the Promotion of Science
Openalex Percentile: Top 17%
Laser-Plasma Interactions and Diagnostics
DOIOpen Access PDFOpenAlex
AI Navigator

Ask Laika to Summarize, Analyze, and Connect papers live on the map.

Summarize Papers & Methodologies

Extract key findings, datasets, and comparative methods across publications.

Benchmark Rankings & Visual Analytics

Rank top research institutions, authors, funders, topics, and journals by Field-Weighted Citation Impact (FWCI) and paper volume with instant charts.

Connect Distant Disciplines

Bridge topological clusters on the map to find hidden collaborative intersections.