Abstract

We found that a scaling analysis maps propagative aspects of x-ray lasers onto other laser systems operating at longer wavelengths. One can then determine experimentally how the output coherence and directionality of the x-ray laser depend on the internal parameters and geometry of the laser. Certain dimensionless numbers, analogous to the Reynold’s number in hydrodynamics, emerge from the scaling analysis.

© 1987 Optical Society of America