Abstract

It was recently recognized that a structured solid target can provide increased coupling of intense laser pulses and produce a high-density plasma medium that is suitable for a high-intensity XUV source and for recombination pumped soft X-ray lasers.^1,2 Metal targets (tungsten, aluminum or carbon) covered by micrometer thick layers of metal-phthalocyanines³ or fullerenes are studied in this report. An increase in XUV yield due to specific intracluster processes that occur in an intense field will be reported. Metal ions encaged at the center of phthalocyanine molecules can produce effectively multi-charge ions in the laser field due to a high intramolecular electron density, free electron effective formation and heating. Effects of cluster formation in high-temperature plasma during its rapid expansion are under detailed investigation. (An expansion velocity about 10⁶ cm/s has been observed.)

© 1999 Optical Society of America