Diagnostics methods for beam-plasma experiments

Summary  We report the first optical diagnostics of the dense plasma of a Z-pinch helium plasma which is used as a plasma target for investigation of beam-plasma interaction. Information about dynamics of the plasma and the relevant plasma parameters was obtained by spatially, temporally and spectrally resolved measurements of its visible light emission. The Stark broadening of the HeIIP α andP β line yielded the number density of free electrons, temperature was deduced from the line-to-continuum intensity ratio of this lines. Maximal densities up to 1.14·1019 cm−3 at a temperature around 23 eV have been determined.