Conversion of the energy of fast electrons to thermal plasma radiation

An analysis is made of the conversion of the energy of highly energetic fast electrons, generated by the action of CO₂ laser radiation on a target, into characteristic radiation emitted by a plasma formed from shell targets which, for instance, may be present inside targets irradiated by the CO₂ laser. Analytical formulas are obtained for the temperature of the converted radiation. The results show that it is possible to control this radiation by choosing the parameters of the target and of the fast electron flux. The efficiency of conversion into characteristic thermal radiation is found numerically to be 95%. This method of conversion is more favorable than direct interaction of CO₂ laser radiation with a target since the emitting region is localized in the target mass. When a laser interacts with a target the mass of this region increases with time and so the temperature of the emitted radiation is lower than in the case when fast electrons act on the target.