SOFT-X-RAY INTERFEROMETER FOR SINGLE-SHOT LASER LINEWIDTH MEASUREMENTS

A soft-x-ray Mach-Zehnder interferometer configuration that makes use of the time delay introduced by diffraction gratings to conduct single -shot measurements of the linewidth of soft-x-ray laser amplifiers is proposed and analyzed. The scheme was experimentally demonstrated in t he near-IR region of the spectrum by measurement of the mode separatio n of a semiconductor laser. A symmetric configuration with compensated time delays that can be implemented for plasma diagnostics and for ev aluating soft-x-ray optics is also discussed. (C) 1996 Optical Society of America.