Hybridly pumped collisional soft X-ray laser in Ne-like sulphur
Date
2001
Authors
Wandner, W., author
Lucianetti, A., author
Bortolotto, F., author
Rocca, Jorge J., author
Janulewicz, K. A., author
Nickles, P. V., author
EDP Sciences, publisher
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Abstract
We describe an experiment demonstrating XUV amplification following collisional excitation in a discharge-created plasma waveguide irradiated by a picosecond optical laser pulse. A capillary discharge was used to generate a plasma radiation pipe with a radially concave electron density profile. Temporally resolved transmission characteristics and guiding effect have been measured. An intense short laser pulse rapidly heated the electrons, producing amplification in the 3p1S0-3s 1P1 transition of Ne-like S at 60.84 nm. The integrated gain-length product obtained within a 3 cm active medium with a laser energy of 0.46 J was ~6.8. The pump energy depletion has been analysed as well. This new, hybridly pumped soft X-ray laser with the transient gain offers a new way towards efficient tabletop coherent XUV sources.