DOI: 10.1209/epl/i2003-00588-3
Europhys. Lett., 63 (5) , pp. 681-686 (2003)

High-resolution imaging of a soft-X-ray laser beam by color centers excitation in lithium fluoride crystals

G. Tomassetti¹, A. Ritucci¹, A. Reale¹, L. Palladino¹, L. Reale¹, L. Arrizza¹, G. Baldacchini², F. Bonfigli², F. Flora², L. Mezi², R. M. Montereali², S. V. Kukhlevsky³, A. Faenov⁴, T. Pikuz⁴ and J. Kaiser<sup>5

1</sup>  Dipartimento di Fisica, Università dell'Aquila, gc LNGS dell' INFN, INFM 67010 Coppito, L'Aquila, Italy
²  ENEA Dipartimento Innovazione, Divisione Fisica Applicata, CRE Frascati C.P. 65, 00044 Frascati, Italy
³  Department of Experimental Physics, University of Pecs Ifjusag u. 6, Pecs, 7624, Hungary
⁴  MISDC of VNIIFTRI - Mendeleevo, Moscow Region, 141570, Russia
⁵  Institute of Physical Engineering, University of Technology Brno, Technicka 2, 616 69 Brno, Czech Repuplic

(Received 17 April 2003; accepted in final form 27 June 2003)

Abstract
Stable color center production in lithium fluoride crystals has been applied to single-shot high-spatial-resolution imaging of a 2 long, 46.9 capillary discharge soft-X-ray laser pulse. Images of the unfocused beam and of the beam focused by a multi-layer mirror were recorded. The crystal sensitivity was sufficient to impress high-contrast photo-luminescent patterns with single-pulse irradiation on an area up to 40 . Interference fringes due to the soft-X-ray laser coherence were observed. The results demonstrate the potential of crystals and films as a sub-micrometer resolution two-dimensional imaging tool for single-shot soft-X-ray laser applications.

PACS
07.85.Fv - X- and -ray sources, mirrors, gratings, and detectors.
42.55.Vc - X- and -ray lasers.
42.60.Jf - Beam characteristics: profile, intensity, and power; spatial pattern formation.

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