ABSTRACT
Abstract. The generation of dense plasma waveguides containing a large concentration of silver ions of interest to the development of a longitudinally pumped Ni-like Ag laser is reported. The plasma guide is created by means of a fast (~ 55 ns first half-cycle) micro-capillary discharge. Discharge ablation of Ag2S capillaries 330 um or 440 urn in diameter with 3-5.5 kA current pulses was measured to form concave plasma density profiles with axial electron density > 1 xlO 19 cm"3. The dynamic of this mid-to high Z plasma waveguide was studied with interferometry, absorption measurements, and hydrodynamic model simulations.
