Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 9, 2026
11:20
Investigation of Early Plasma Evolution Induced by Ultrashort Laser Pulses
Published on: July 2, 2012
15.4K
Two-Color Soft X-Ray Lasing in a High-Density Nickel-like Krypton Plasma
F Tissandier1, J Gautier1, J-P Goddet1
1Laboratoire d'Optique Appliquée, ENSTA Paris, Ecole Polytechnique, CNRS, Institut Polytechnique de Paris, 828 Boulevard des Maréchaux, F-91761 Palaiseau cedex, France.
Physical Review Letters
|April 18, 2020
Summary
Researchers observed simultaneous lasing at two wavelengths in nickel-like krypton. This breakthrough enables the generation of controllable, ultrashort two-color soft x-ray laser pulses.
Area of Science:
- Atomic physics
- Plasma physics
- X-ray laser technology
Background:
- Nickel-like ions are a promising medium for generating soft x-ray lasers.
- Simultaneous lasing at multiple wavelengths can enhance applications requiring precise temporal control.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate simultaneous lasing on the 4p-4s and 4d-4p transitions in nickel-like krypton.
- To characterize the gain dynamics and potential of these transitions for generating two-color soft x-ray pulses.
Main Methods:
- Experimental observation of lasing at 62.7 nm and 32.8 nm.
- Numerical simulations to analyze gain dynamics.
- Seeding a two-color amplifier with a single harmonic pulse.
Main Results:
- Strong lasing was observed on the 4p-4s transition (62.7 nm) concurrently with the 4d-4p transition (32.8 nm).
- Gain dynamics for both transitions were found to be comparable.
- A short-duration, coherent two-color soft x-ray laser pulse was produced.
Conclusions:
- The 4p-4s transition in nickel-like krypton provides a viable pathway for soft x-ray lasing.
- Comparable gain dynamics suggest similar prospects for pulse energy and duration.
- This work paves the way for intense, ultrashort, two-color coherent soft x-ray pulses with controllable delays.
Related Concept Videos
01:24X-ray Imaging
German physicist Wilhelm Röntgen (1845–1923) was experimenting with electrical current when he discovered that a mysterious and invisible "ray" would pass through his flesh but leave an outline of his bones on a screen coated with a metal compound. In 1895, Röntgen made the first durable record of the internal parts of a living human: an "X-ray" image (as it came to be called) of his wife’s hand. Scientists worldwide quickly began their own experiments with X-rays, and by 1900, X-ray was widely...
01:20Atomic Emission Spectroscopy: Overview
Atomic emission spectroscopy (AES) is an analytical technique used to determine the elemental composition of a sample by analyzing the light emitted from excited atoms. In AES, atoms in a sample are excited to higher energy levels by thermal energy from high-temperature sources, such as plasma, arcs, or sparks. When these excited atoms return to lower energy states, they emit light at specific wavelengths characteristic of each element. The resulting atomic emission spectrum, which consists of...
01:19Inductively Coupled Plasma Atomic Emission Spectroscopy: Principle
Inductively coupled plasma (ICP) is the most widely used plasma source in atomic emission spectroscopy (AES), also known as Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectroscopy (ICP-OES). The ICP source, or torch, consists of three concentric quartz tubes with argon gas flowing through them. A spark from a Tesla coil initiates the ionization of argon, generating a high-temperature plasma.
The ions and electrons produced interact with the fluctuating magnetic field created by a water-cooled...
The ions and electrons produced interact with the fluctuating magnetic field created by a water-cooled...