Coherent x-ray sources promise to open the door to a wide variety of new and interesting physics and engineering. In particular, a coherent x-ray source between the K absorption edges of carbon and oxygen would allow in situ high resolution imaging of biological materials. Though available through large scale synchrotron and x-ray free electron laser facilities, coherent x-rays have so far been beyond the reach of normal university laboratories. The interaction of high intensity laser pulses with gases of atomic and molecular clusters has been shown to be an efficient source of EUV and soft x-ray radiation. I will present a recent study of the interaction of our 25 TW laser with a nitrogen cluster gas of varying density and mean cluster size with the aim of producing a water window x-ray laser on the hydrogen-like nitrogen 2p-1s spectral line.

For additional information about the IREAP Graduate Student Seminars, contact David Meichle at dmeichle at umd.edu or Kevin Schoeffler at kschoeff at umd.edu.

The schedule for the IREAP Graduate Student Seminars can be found at http://www.ireap.umd.edu/ireap/seminars/grad/sem-grad.htm.