Numerical study of picosecond soft x-ray enhancement from porous targets irradiated by double laser pulses

Simulations show enhanced free–free and free–bound x-ray emission from laser-produced plasmas for both porous and solid targets irradiated by picosecond laser pulses under different prepulse conditions. The porous targets are modeled as a thick solid substrate over-coated with a thin porous layer. Using porous targets and prepulses shows that x-ray yields can be enhanced significantly over single pulses on solid density targets. The optimum conditions of prepulse and porous layer density are investigated by simulations with a fluid and atomic physics code.