Affiliations: Dipartimento lnnovazione, Settore 1NN-F1S, CRE ENEA Frascati, Italy | Dipartimento Fisica Universitá dell'Aquila, Lapos;Aquila e INFN g. Coll. LNGS, Assergi, Italy | Dipartimento Fisica Universitá di Milano e INFN Sez. Milano, Milan, Italy | Lab. Fisica-1stituto Sup. Sanitá e INFN-Sez. Sanitá, Rome, Italy | Dipartimento Biologia, Universitá di Roma Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy | LNF-INFN, Frascati, Italy | M1SDC, NPO "VNIIFTRI," Moscow Region, Russia | INFN, g.c. LNGS, Assergi, Italy
Abstract: We report the characterization of a soft x-ray plasma source generated by a long-pulse XeCl excimer laser system. The output energy is 4 J at a wavelength of 308 nm in a 100-ns pulse. The intensity of radiation on target is estimated to be 4 × 1012 W cm−2. X-ray emission spectra of the plasma have been recorded using a double focusing spatial resolution spectrometer with a spherical mica crystal. From these measurements, the plasma temperature and electron density have been estimated. Various applications of such a plasma source have been investigated. First images of whole intact living cells from our system, imaged using the technique of soft x-ray contact microscopy, utilizing x rays in the “water window” region (280–530 eV), are shown. The suitability of the source for other applications, for example, x-ray lithography and radiation damage studies, to living cells are discussed. Possible improvements to the x-ray source for the various applications are proposed.
