Generation of highly ionized cadmium plasma columns for a discharge-pumpednickel-like Cd laser

We report the observation of strong he emission from Ni-like Cd ions in a c apillary discharge plasma. Spectroscopically pure Cd vapor was produced in a room temperature environment utilizing a capacitive discharge. The metal vapor was injected into a capillary channel where it was subsequently excit ed with fast current pulses of up to 200 kA. These results open the possibi lity of observing laser amplification in the 3d(9)4d-3d(9)4p line of Ni-lik e Cd at 13.2 nm and in laser lines of other Nickel-Re ions in a discharge-c reated plasma.