ATOMIC PROCESSES IN SHORT-WAVELENGTH LASER-PRODUCED PLASMAS FOR X-RAYLASER APPLICATIONS

We have developed a 2D hydrodynamics code and an atomic postprocessor for the application of short pulse KrF laser (lambda = 249 nm) to the excitation of soft x-ray lasers. We have investigated the laser irradi ation conditions that produce appreciable soft x-ray gain in H-like Ba lmer alpha line of Al (E = 320 eV), as well as the dependence of the g ain on atomic kinetics and line trapping calculated by the method of e scape probability. It is found that by including H-like fine structure , a 2-4 fold increase of gain is obtained. It is also found that the s patial and temporal gain profiles change significantly by changing the expansion geometry of plasma assumed in the determination of escape p robability of H-like Lyman series.