Studies of population inversions in the soft x-ray spectral region in CO/sub 2/ laser produced plasmas

Thesis/Dissertation · Wed Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1986

OSTI ID:6990001

Keane, C J

The recombination approach for development of a short wavelength laser is one of two schemes used in recent demonstrations of high gain in the soft x-ray region. In this work, a theoretical and experimental study of recombination pumped soft x-ray population inversions in Li-like carbon (CIV) and H-like carbon (CVI) in CO/sub 2/ laser produced plasmas is presented. A collisional radiative model is used to examine the behavior of the gain coefficients for various transitions in the C/sup 5 +/ ion with plasma parameters, and the optimum conditions for gain defined. A general formalism that elucidates the separate roles of radiative power loss and electron cooling in dense transient plasmas is described: it is used to examine the feasibility of quickly radiatively cooling a dense plasma to bring about optimum conditions for gain in a recombination system. Experimental studies of the effectiveness of radiation cooling in generating recombination pumped soft x-ray population inversions in CIV are carried out in freely expanding CO/sub 2/ laser produced plasmas. Measurements of gain length products as high as 6.5 on the 182 A transition in CVI in magnetically confined CO/sub 2/ laser produced plasmas are reviewed and observations of stimulated emission at 182 A obtained with an XUV multilayer mirror in use are presented.

• Research Organization: Princeton Univ., NJ (USA)
• OSTI ID: 6990001
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
700103 -- Fusion Energy-- Plasma Research-- Kinetics
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CARBON IONS
CATIONS
CHARGED PARTICLES
CORRECTIONS
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
IONIZING RADIATIONS
IONS
LASER-PRODUCED PLASMA
PLASMA
POPULATION INVERSION
RADIATIONS
RADIATIVE CORRECTIONS
SOFT X RADIATION
SPECTRA
X RADIATION
X-RAY SPECTRA