Strengthened lithium for x-ray blast windows.
Lithium's high x-ray transparency makes it an attractive material for windows intended to protect soft x-ray diagnostics in high energy density experiments. Pure lithium is soft and weak, but lithium mixed with lithium hydride powder becomes harder and stronger, in principle without any additional x-ray absorption. A comparison with the standard material for x-ray windows, beryllium, suggests that lithium or lithium strengthened by lithium hydride may well be an excellent option for such windows.
Pereira
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Ecopulse Inc, PO Box 528, Springfield, VA 22150, USA. pereira@speakeasy.net
Imam
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