Ultrafast x-ray imaging of pulsed plasmas in water

Pulsed plasmas in liquids exhibit complex interaction between three phases of matter (liquids, gas, plasmas) and are currently used a wide range applications across several fields, however significant knowledge gaps our understanding plasma initiation hinder additional application control; this area research lacks comprehensive predictive model. To aid progress experimentally, here we present the first-known ultrafast (50 ps) X-ray images pulsed processes water (+25 kV, 10 ns, 5 mJ), courtesy imaging techniques available at Argonne National Laboratory's Advanced Photon Source (APS), with supporting nanosecond optical computational diffraction These results clearly resolve narrow (~10 micron) low-density channels during timescales typically obscured by emission (<100 ns), well-known difficult problem to experiments without access state-of-the-art sources such as APS synchrotron. Images presented work speak prevailing hypotheses, electrostriction bubble deformation dominant phenomena. We also demonstrate setup cheap ($<$US\$100k), compact, repeatable benchmark target (29.1 km/s, 1 TW/cm$^2$) useful for development next-generation high-energy-density physics (HEDP), well easier integration HEDP into synchrotron-enabled facilities.