Abstract

A key factor in the range of practical applications of x-ray lasers is their cost, and significant progress has been made in the development of moderate-cost x-ray lasers.¹ Recently, gain has been observed on the CVI 182-Å transition with remarkably low pump energies (6-15 J).² A Nd/YLF laser beam was line-focused onto a carbon target and a thin iron blade in the front of the target provided additional cooling of the plasma column. Gain of up to G≈8 cm⁻¹ was demonstrated in one amplifier with 15 J of Nd/YLF laser beam energy on target in a 50 kG magnetic field. Subsequent experiments with only 6 J of pump laser energy also showed g ≈ 4.5 cm⁻¹. Currently, work is in progress to extend this to longer plasma lengths so that a high gain-length and high output can be achieved.

© 1992 Optical Society of America