Tabletop x-ray lasers

Journal Article · Sun May 01 00:00:00 EDT 1994 · Physics of Plasmas; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.870936· OSTI ID:5031308

Eder, D C; Amendt, P; DaSilva, L B; London, R A; MacGowan, B J; Matthews, D L; Penetrante, B M; Rosen, M D; Wilks, S C ^[1]; Donnelly, T D; Falcone, R W ^[2]; Strobel, G L ^[3]

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1. Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, California 94550 (United States)
2. University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, California 94720 (United States)
3. University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602 (United States)

Details of schemes for two tabletop size x-ray lasers that require a high-intensity short-pulse driving laser are discussed. The first is based on rapid recombination following optical-field ionization. Analytical and numerical calculations of the output properties are presented. Propagation in the confocal geometry is discussed and a solution for x-ray lasing in Li-like N at 247 A is described. Since the calculated gain coefficient depends strongly on the electron temperature, the methods of calculating electron heating following field ionization are discussed. Recent experiments aimed at demonstrating lasing in H-like Li at 135 A are discussed along with modeling results. The second x-ray laser scheme is based on the population inversion obtained during inner-shell photoionization by hard x rays. This approach has significantly higher-energy requirements, but lasing occurs at very short wavelengths ([lambda][le]15 A). Experiments that are possible with existing lasers are discussed.

• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-48
• OSTI ID: 5031308
• Journal Information: Physics of Plasmas; (United States), Vol. 1:5; ISSN 1070-664X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

42 ENGINEERING
70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
X-RAY LASERS
AUGER EFFECT
ELECTRON DENSITY
GAIN
HYDROGEN
INNER-SHELL IONIZATION
LASER-PRODUCED PLASMA
LITHIUM
NITROGEN
PHOTOIONIZATION
PHOTON-ATOM COLLISIONS
PHOTON-ION COLLISIONS
ALKALI METALS
AMPLIFICATION
ATOM COLLISIONS
COLLISIONS
ELEMENTS
ION COLLISIONS
IONIZATION
LASERS
METALS
NONMETALS
PHOTON COLLISIONS
PLASMA
426002* - Engineering- Lasers & Masers- (1990-)
700350 - Plasma Production
Heating
Current Drive
& Interactions- (1992-)