Abstract

Laser plasma x-ray sources have traditionally been produced by focussing laser pulses with a duration greater than 10 picoseconds onto solid metal targets¹. At these pulse lengths, the intense laser light generates an expanding coronal plasma above the surface. A gradient in plasma density is produced and the laser light is primarily absorbed at the so called critical surface where the plasma frequency equals the optical frequency. High intensity short wavelength radiation is emitted from the hot, dense plasma through various microscopic processes including line emission, bremsstralung and recombination radiation.

© 1986 Optical Society of America