In this article we show that laser-produced plasmas using a cryogenic xenon
target are emitters of pulsed broadband extreme ultraviolet radiation with
an intensity maximum around 11 nm. The photon flux and conversion efficien
cy (CE) of this source is comparable to the emission of laser-produced plas
mas of solid state targets using elements with high atomic numbers. The CE
of the laser-produced xenon plasma in a 2% wavelength band at the beryllium
absorption K edge at 11.1 nm is about two times higher compared to the CE
at the silicon absorption L edge at 12.4 nm. (C) 1999 American Vacuum Socie
ty.