High-brightness soft X-ray generation under optimized laser-cluster interaction

• Published in: Optics communications 2004-02, Vol.231 (1), p.375-381
• Main Authors: Lin, Jiunn-Yuan, Chu, Hsu-hsin, Shen, Ming-yi, Xiao, Yee-fang, Lee, Chau-Hwang, Chen, Szu-yuan, Wang, Jyhpyng
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Atomic and molecular clusters; Atomic and molecular physics; Atomic properties and interactions with photons; Atomic spectra; Cluster; Exact sciences and technology; Laser-plasma interactions; Laser-produced plasma; Optical properties of clusters; Physics; Physics of gases, plasmas and electric discharges; Physics of plasmas and electric discharges; Soft X-ray; Studies of special atoms, molecules and their ions; clusters; X-ray spectra
• ISSN: 0030-4018; 1873-0310
• DOI: 10.1016/j.optcom.2003.12.017

High-brightness soft X-ray emissions are obtained by optimizing the interaction between high-intensity ultrashort optical pulses and Ar clusters. With only 100-mJ pump energy, the yield at 13.8 nm with 0.1-nm bandwidth reaches 0.3 mJ/pulse, while the yield in the spectral range of 11–20 nm reaches 12 mJ/pulse in 4π solid angle. The relation between optimal pulse durations and cluster sizes are found to conform with the nano-plasma expansion model, while the optimal pump beam size is related to the pulse contrast by the condition that prepulse ionization is sufficiently weak to preserve the local plasma density.