Exploding foil technique for achieving a soft x-ray laser

Journal Article · Mon Jan 14 04:00:00 EST 1985 · Phys. Rev. Lett.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.54.106· OSTI ID:6186260

Rosen, M D; Hagelstein, P L; Matthews, D L; Campbell, E M; Hazi, A U; Whitten, B L; MacGowan, B; Turner, R E; Lee, R W; Charatis, G; Busch, G E; Shepard, C L; Rocket, P D

We describe a design for producing a soft x-ray laser via 3p-3s transitions in Ne-like selenium (wavelength of about 200 A). A 0.53-..mu..m laser, focused in a 1.2 x 0.02 cm spot to 5 x 10/sup 13/ W/cm/sup 2/, heats and burns through a thin foil of Se. Besides ionizing the Se to a Ne-like state, the laser explodes the foil, creating a region of uniform electron density. This allows propagation of the x rays down the 1-cm-long gain direction without debilitating refraction. Gains of 4 to 10 cm/sup -1/ are predicted for various transitions.

• Research Organization: University of California, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, California 94550
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-48
• OSTI ID: 6186260
• Journal Information: Phys. Rev. Lett.; (United States), Journal Name: Phys. Rev. Lett.; (United States) Vol. 54:2; ISSN PRLTA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

42 ENGINEERING
420300* -- Engineering-- Lasers-- (-1989)
AMPLIFICATION
DATA
DESIGN
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
ELECTRON DENSITY
ELEMENTS
ENERGY LEVELS
ENERGY-LEVEL TRANSITIONS
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
EXPLOSIONS
FILMS
FOILS
GAIN
INFORMATION
INHIBITION
IONIZING RADIATIONS
LASERS
NUMERICAL DATA
P STATES
PLASMA
POPULATION INVERSION
RADIATIONS
REFRACTION
RESOLUTION
S STATES
SELENIUM
SEMIMETALS
THIN FILMS
TIME RESOLUTION
TIMING PROPERTIES
X RADIATION