Characterization of a spherically bent quartz crystal for Kα x-ray imaging of laser plasmas using a focusing monochromator geometry

We have measured the key spectrometric properties (peak reflectivity, reflection curve width, and Bragg angle offset) of a spherically bent quartz 200 crystal using the x-ray emission from a laser-produced Ar plasma. This crystal can image Ar Kα x-rays at near-normal incidence (θB ∼ 81 deg.); our technique operates the same crystal as a high-throughput focusing monochromator on the Rowland circle at angles far from normal incidence (θB ∼ 68 deg.) to make a reflection curve with He-like x-rays from the same laser plasma. This approach, which is applicable to many commonly imaged x-ray emission lines and corresponding spherically bent crystals, permits the experimentalist to obtain an in-situ crystal characterization in the same reflection order as that used for operation.