Feature
Inner-Shell Photoionization Lasers
High-gain lasers produced by soft-x-ray photoionization of inner-shell electrons have been demonstrated. The broadband photoionization cross section for the removal of an inner-shell d-electron in Cd and Zn vapor in the wavelength range from 5 to 70 nm conveniently matches the approximate blackbody distribution of a laser-produced plasma pumping source and allows the efficient pumping of an nd (n+1 )s2 2D5/2,3/2 upper laser state in Zn+ (n=3) and Cd+ (n=4). Population inversions with respect to a lower lying p-state result in lasers at 325.0, 441.6 and 747.8 nm.
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