Abstract

Coherent soft x-ray sources in the "water window" spectral region (2.3 mn < A < 4.4 nm) will make possible the imaging of wet biological specimens either by Fresnel optics or holographic microscopy. Synchrotron machines, mainly undulators, have provided reasonable exposure times of several minutes in return for a huge capital investment and running cost. Soft x-ray lasers created in laser- produced plasmas can provide single-shot (1-ns) exposures at around 10-20 nm. X-ray laser emission in the water window has been demonstrated, but it requires the largest energy laser installation for pumping.

© 1992 Optical Society of America