Determination of the electron temperature of a laser plasma from continuous recombination radiation of multiply charged ions

A description is given of a high-luminosity x-ray spectrograph with vertical focusing. This instrument was used to record the continuous recombination spectrum of the hydrogen-like Mg XII ion. The main advantage of the system employed was a combination of a high luminosity and a wide viewing angle. The continuous spectrum of a laser plasma was used to determine its electron temperature. When the power density of the laser flux reaching a flat magnesium target was q ~5×10¹⁴ W/cm², the temperature of the laser plasma was found to be 330 ± 60 eV.