ABSTRACT
We report the first demonstration of saturated operation of a table-top soft X-ray amplifier and the generation of laser pulse energies up to 30 μ J at 46.9 nm in the plasma column of a fast capillary discharge. Double pass amplification experiments performed using an iridium mirror’ achieved a gain length product greater than 25. The successful operation of a Ne-like Ar soft X-ray laser of extremely compact design is also reported.
