High repetition rate collisional soft X-ray lasers based on grazing incidence pumping

• Published in: IEEE journal of quantum electronics Vol. 42; no. 1; pp. 4 - 13
• Main Authors: Luther, B.M., Yong Wang, Larotonda, M.A., Alessi, D., Berrill, M., Rocca, J.J., Dunn, J., Keenan, R., Shlyaptsev, V.N.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York IEEE 01.01.2006; The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. (IEEE)
• Subjects: Grazing incidence; Grazing incidence pumping; Heating; Laser excitation; Lasers; neon-like ions; nickel-like ions; Optical pulses; Optical pumping; Plasma waves; Plasma x-ray sources; Power lasers; Pulsed laser deposition; Pump lasers; Pumps; Repetition; Short pulses; soft X-ray laser; Soft x-rays; Wavelengths; X-ray lasers; X-rays
• ISSN: 0018-9197; 1558-1713
• DOI: 10.1109/JQE.2005.860123

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 /spl omega/1054-nm prepulse and 2 /spl omega/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.