Analysis on the FLYCHK opacity of X-pinch wire materials

Abstract

The plasma opacities of the widely used X-pinch target materials (Cu, Mo, W) are calculated over a wide temperature and density range (T = 10(-3)-10(2) keV, rho = 10(16)-10(24) cm(-3)) by using the collisional radiative code FLYCHK. Including the scattering effect, the FLYCHK opacity of the mid-Z element copper is in good agreement with the Los Alamos opacity code ATOMIC in the broad T-rho range corresponding to typical X-pinch plasma conditions. In a strongly coupled region, a few corrections, such as the degeneracy effect for the free-free opacity, may be required to improve accuracies. The absence of a Delta n = 0 transition and the simple scattering opacity formula in FLYCHK also cause the characteristics of the FLYCHK opacity data. The plasma opacities of the high-Z elements molybdenum and tungsten are also calculated. These results can be used as basic inputs for various radiative hydrodynamic simulations not only for X-pinch plasmas but for different types of high-energy-density plasma research.