High Repetition Rate Collisional Soft X-Ray Lasers Based on Grazing Incidence Pumping

Abstract

Abstract-We discuss the demonstration of gain-saturated high repetition rate table-top soft X-ray lasers producing microwatt average powers at wavelengths ranging from 13.9 to 33 nm. The results were obtained heating a precreated plasma with a picosecond optical laser pulse impinging at grazing incidence onto a precreated plasma. This pumping geometry increases the energy deposition efficiency of the pump beam into the gain region, making it possible to saturate soft X-ray lasers in this wavelength range with a short pulse pump energy of only 1 J at 800-nm wavelength. Results corresponding to 5-Hz repetition rate operation of gain-saturated 14.7-nm Ni-like Pd and 32.6-nm line Ne-like Ti lasers pumped by a table-top Ti:sapphire laser are reported. We also discuss results obtained using a 1 1054-nm prepulse and 2 527-nm short pulse from a Nd:glass pump laser.This work demonstrates the feasibility of producing compact high average power soft X-ray lasers for applications.Index Terms-Grazing incidence pumping, neon-like ions, nickel-like ions, soft X-ray laser.

Sub 400 nm spatial resolution extreme ultraviolet holography with a table top laser

“…Demonstration of highly coherent compact EUV sources [10][11][12] enables new opportunities for the implementation of practical coherent imaging systems with nanometerscale resolution that fit on a table-top. Recently, Gabor holographic imaging was demonstrated with a fully coherent table-top source of high order harmonic (HHG) radiation.…”

Single-shot soft x-ray laser linewidth measurement using a grating interferometer

“…These measurements were found to be in good agreement with those performed using a grating spectrograph. The λ 14.7 nm Pd soft x-ray laser beam was generated by amplification of spontaneous emission in a transient population inversion created between the 4d 1 S 0 -4p 1 P 1 levels of Ni-like Pd by collisional electron impact excitation in a laser-created plasma [19,20]. A line focus plasma was produced by heating a 4 mm long Pd slab target at grazing incidence [21][22][23] with a highintensity optical laser pulse from a chirped pulse amplified Ti:Sapphire laser system.…”