A large volume non-conventional XeCl excimer laser (HERCULES) emitting long pulses (from 10 ns up to 120 ns at a wavelength of 308 nm) has been used to drive a soft x-ray plasma source. The x-rays pulse duration and the energy conversion efficiency in different spectral regions have been measured; x-rays emission lasting up to 100 ns has been obtained in the 70 eV region. The dependence of x-ray pulse duration on the size of the laser spot is discussed. The x- ray source can be operated both in vacuum and in helium at atmospheric pressure. This allows irradiating over a large area both for contact microscopy of living specimens (up to 1 mm2 windows) and for radiobiology (up to some cm2 windows). The experimental results obtained for these two applications as well as for radiographic images of living insects are discussed.
Atmospheric-pressure soft x-ray source for contact microscopy and radiobiology applications
PALLADINO, Libero
1997
Abstract
A large volume non-conventional XeCl excimer laser (HERCULES) emitting long pulses (from 10 ns up to 120 ns at a wavelength of 308 nm) has been used to drive a soft x-ray plasma source. The x-rays pulse duration and the energy conversion efficiency in different spectral regions have been measured; x-rays emission lasting up to 100 ns has been obtained in the 70 eV region. The dependence of x-ray pulse duration on the size of the laser spot is discussed. The x- ray source can be operated both in vacuum and in helium at atmospheric pressure. This allows irradiating over a large area both for contact microscopy of living specimens (up to 1 mm2 windows) and for radiobiology (up to some cm2 windows). The experimental results obtained for these two applications as well as for radiographic images of living insects are discussed.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
