Demonstration of a Ni-Like Kr Optical-Field-Ionization Collisional Soft X-Ray Laser at 32.8 nm

Stéphane Sebban (1) , Tomas Mocek (2) , D. Ros (3) , L. Upcraft (1) , Philippe Balcou (1) , R. Haroutunian (1) , G. Grillon (1) , Bedrich Rus (2) , Annie Klisnick (3) , A. Carillon (3) , Gérard Jamelot (3) , Constance Valentin (1) , Antoine Rousse (1) , Jean-Philippe Rousseau (1) , L. Notebaert (1) , M. Pittman (1) , D. Hulin (1)

1 LOA - Laboratoire d'optique appliquée
2 PALS - Institute of Physics
3 Laboratoire de Spectroscopie Atomique et Ionique

We report the first experimental demonstration of a Ni-like optical-field ionization collisional soft x-ray laser. The amplifying medium is generated by focusing a circularly polarized 760 mJ, 30 fs, 10-Hz Ti:sapphire laser beam in a few mm cell filled with krypton. We have measured a gain coefficient of 78  cm^-1 on the 3d^94d^1S0-3d^94p^1P1 transition at 32.8 nm, which is here amplified for the first time. This radiation source represents the shortest wavelength optical-field ionization collisional soft x-ray laser ever produced. The influence of the gas pressure and the pumping energy on the lasing output are also presented.

Domains: Optics [physics.optics]

Stéphane Sebban, Tomas Mocek, D. Ros, L. Upcraft, Philippe Balcou, et al.. Demonstration of a Ni-Like Kr Optical-Field-Ionization Collisional Soft X-Ray Laser at 32.8 nm. Physical Review Letters, 2002, 89 (25), pp.253901. ⟨10.1103/PhysRevLett.89.253901⟩. ⟨hal-00523166⟩