A COMPUTATIONAL INVESTIGATION OF THE NEON-LIKE GERMANIUM COLLISIONALLY PUMPED LASER

The complex problem of a collisionally pumped Ne-like geranium laser is examined through several detailed models. The central model is EHYBRID; a 1 1/2D fluid code which self consistently treats the plasma expansion with the atomic physics of the Ne-like ion for 124 excited levels through a collisional radiative treatment. The output of EHYBRID is used as data for ray-tracing and saturation codes which generate experimental observables. A detailed description of the models is given.

COLLISION PUMPED SOFT-X-RAY LASERS - PROGRESS AT RAL

Recent developments and progress on collision pumped soft X-ray lasers using the VULCAN glass laser at Rutherford-Appleton Laboratory are presented. This includes saturated output operation of a double target germanium system within a low Fresnel number half-cavity, measurement of the spatial coherence of the output beam in the above and other geometries, use of the beam to demonstrate almost-equal-to 0.15 mum spatial resolution in a full-field microscope and initial studies of other Ne-like and Ni-like systems. Future directions, in the light of new developments of VULCAN facilities, are outlined.