Abstract

With high power pulses now shorter than the dissociation time of even highly charged molecular ions, a new molecular species, inertially confined molecular ions are available for study by optical means. Such studies may be important for short wavelength sources. For example, plasmas formed from inertially confined ions will be far from equilibrium. Non-equilibrium plasmas formed from atomic precursors have already lead to new approaches to short wavelength generation.

© 1993 Optical Society of America