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 few cm2 windows). The experimental results obtained for these two applications as well as for radiographic images of living insects are discussed. © Società Italiana di Fisica.
Soft X-ray plasma source for atmospheric-pressure microscopy, radiobiology and other applications
PALLADINO, Libero
1998-01-01
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 few cm2 windows). The experimental results obtained for these two applications as well as for radiographic images of living insects are discussed. © Società Italiana di Fisica.Pubblicazioni consigliate
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