Development and commissioning of a transmission grating spectrometer on the National Ignition Facility

The design and calibration of a soft X-ray transmission grating imaging spectrometer for the National Ignition Facility (NIF) [1] has been discussed elsewhere [2] and will be summarised here for ease. This work primarily discusses the supporting modelling and analysis techniques associated with the transmission grating spectrometer (TGS) and provides further analysis of the dedicated qualification shot on the NIF. Comparisons are made between: the CASSANDRA [3] opacity tables (used within the radiation-hydrodynamics code NYM [4]); the opacity derived from FLYCHK [5]; and the obtained spectrum using different analysis methods. Consideration is also given to the spectral resolution [6] of the diagnostic, the design aims of the diagnostic and limitations in the utilised codes.