Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-jkksz Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-27T04:56:58.486Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Coherent short wavelength radiation via picosecond Nd:glass lasers

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 August 2002

H. KURODA
Affiliation:
Institute for Solid State Physics, University of Tokyo, 5-1-5 Kashiwanoha, Kashiwa, Chiba 277-8581, Japan
T. OZAKI
Affiliation:
Institute for Solid State Physics, University of Tokyo, 5-1-5 Kashiwanoha, Kashiwa, Chiba 277-8581, Japan
A. ISHIZAWA
Affiliation:
Institute for Solid State Physics, University of Tokyo, 5-1-5 Kashiwanoha, Kashiwa, Chiba 277-8581, Japan
T. KANAI
Affiliation:
Institute for Solid State Physics, University of Tokyo, 5-1-5 Kashiwanoha, Kashiwa, Chiba 277-8581, Japan
K. YAMAMOTO
Affiliation:
Institute for Solid State Physics, University of Tokyo, 5-1-5 Kashiwanoha, Kashiwa, Chiba 277-8581, Japan
R. LI
Affiliation:
Shanghai Institute of Optics and Fine Mechanics, P.O. Box 800-211, Shanghai 201800, P. R. China
J. ZHANG
Affiliation:
Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, P.O. Box 603, Beijing 100080, China

Abstract

The generation of coherent soft X rays is studied using a terawatt picosecond Nd:glass laser system. Two different methods are investigated as candidates for efficient generation of such radiation, namely, longitudinally pumped transient collisional excitation nickel-like molybdenum X-ray laser, and high-harmonic generation from solid–vacuum interfaces. In the course of experiments on longitudinally pumped X-ray lasers, unexpected jetlike structures are observed in the visible emission of the molybdenum plasma, extending over a length of several millimeters. An interesting characteristic of this phenomena is that clear jets are observed only for longitudinal pump intensities between 5 × 1014 and 7 × 1014 W/cm2. The effects of a finite scale length density gradient on surface harmonics is also investigated. The efficiency of harmonic generation from near-solid density plasma is found to increase by a factor of 2 to 3 when using prepulses. The scale length of the preplasma is simulated using a one-dimensional hydrodynamic code, and the increase in efficiency is verified to be in accordance with particle-in-cell simulation results.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
© 2002 Cambridge University Press

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)