Soft-x-ray laser interferometry of a pinch discharge using a tabletop laser

We have used a tabletop soft-x-ray laser and a wave-front division interfer ometer to probe the plasma of a pinch discharge. A very compact capillary d ischarge-pumped Ne-like Ar laser emitting at 46.9 nm was combined with a wa ve division interferometer based on Lloyd's mirror and Sc-Si multilayer-coa ted optics to map the electron density in the cathode region of the dischar ge. This demonstration of the use of tabletop soft-x-ray laser in plasma in terferometry could lead to the widespread use of these lasers in the diagno stics of dense plasmas. [S1063-651X(99)12507-8].