Electron – x-ray method for measuring the local density in pulsed erosion jets

An electron-beam method for measuring the local density of a rarefied gas is considered and ways of adapting it to the diagnostics of pulsed erosion jets, formed by intense laser evaporation of the surface of a solid, are discussed. A description is given of measurement systems and the results of the density measurements are reported for the specific case of an erosion jet formed by irradiation of a lead target with millisecond pulses.