Published online by Cambridge University Press: 09 March 2009
Radial inhomogeneity diagnostics in hot and dense laser plasmas are presented. By means of an analysis of the spatially resolved X-ray transverse emission of the plasma and of a theoretical modeling, we can access directly to the radial emission coefficient and to the transverse gradients. The intense aluminum Lyβ line has been chosen for this study, and different structured targets have been used to control the radiative transfer in the transverse direction. These targets (large or narrow emissive strips) give complementary results for the emission in the core (i.e., near the laser-target axis) or in the border of the plasma.