A plasma light source for the VUV spectral region

The 5-50-eV spectral range appears to be absent from the planned third gene ration synchrotron radiation sources (SRS) and the science requiring this r adiation can be jeopardized once the second generation SRS light sources ar e switched off worldwide. Molecular photochemistry, photobiology, atomic ph ysics, solid-state physics are but a fem sciences requiring powerful VUV so urces. We demonstrate that a compact, laser heated plasma light source can generate efficiently radiation in this spectral region, and that this radia tion can be coupled very efficiently from the plasma to the exposure cell, by three simple VUV beam-lines, each providing a different spectral bandwid th.