The effect of laser plasma cumulation on generation of harmonics and hard X-ray radiation

Plasma cumulation, produced on a conical target by low-intensity CO-laser radiation (up to 10 GW/sq cm), and its effect on parametric instability that causes the generation of harmonics and hard X-ray radiation are studied. Experimental results show that the threshold of parametric instability decreases due to a substantial increase in plasma temperature at cumulation on the conical target. The intensity of hard X-ray radiation increases tenfold, and the generation of harmonics increases sevenfold to ninefold as compared with the case of a plane target.