Compact X-Ray Laser

A very promising plasma configuration has been achieved for studies of X-ray laser gain. A gas cylinder is compressed inertially to form a hot, energy rich plasma on the cylinder axis. The conditions during the expansion of this plasma are predicted to favor recombination lasing at wavelengths between 182 and 66 Angstroms. This study will measure laser gain for a series of atoms of increasing atomic number and could point the way to shorter wavelength coherent sources based on the same principle. The plasma generator uses new switch technology to repetitively develop a current of 300kA in a volume of only 1 cubic meter. This research could open up the use of coherent X-ray sources to a wide community of integrated circuit manufacturers, materials researchers and biologists, by removing the need to travel to a major facility to obtain coherent X-rays.