Modeling plasma formation in a solid target heated by a multi-MeV electron beam

Summary form only given. The conversion of an intense relativistic electron beam into X-rays for radiographic imaging is achieved through bremsstrahlung collisions in a target of optimal thickness. This process results in a significant amount of beam energy deposited in a small volume of the target, causing it to vaporize; the resultant expanding plasma can adversely interact with the electron beam in a single- or multiple-pulsing design. In order to simulate the beam-plasma interaction, the ionization state, electron density, and other hydrodynamic variables of the plasma must be known. This paper addresses two quantities crucial to understanding the evolution of the plasma: energy deposition in the target and the ionization state (and electron density) of the expanding plasma.