Collisional-radiative calculations for the J = 0−1 lasing line of neon-like germanium under anisotropic excitation conditions

Abstract

A new asymmetry parameter characterizing the differences between the polarized π and σ gain components of the soft-x-ray J = 0–1 lasing line of neon-like ions is calculated in the case of Ge22+ assuming an electron distribution which is a weighted sum of an isotropic Maxwellian and a monoenergetic beam. Using a quasi steady-state collisional-radiative model, we determine in the weak amplification regime the relative populations of the upper M = 0 and lower magnetic sublevels of the lasing line as a function of electron density from 1020 to cm−3. This model includes inelastic and elastic collisional transitions, as well as spontaneous radiative decay between all the 337 M-sublevels arising from the 75 lowest-lying Ge22+ J-levels. The computations were performed for a temperature of the Maxwellian component between and K, a kinetic energy E0 and a fraction f of the beam component in the ranges and , respectively. The basic atomic data, such as level energies, radiative decay probabilities and inelastic collision strengths, were calculated with the flexible atomic code. However, some modifications of this code were made to get the collision strengths for transitions between M-sublevels due to impact with isotropic electrons as well as due to impact with an electron beam in the case of de-excitation. We find that the newly introduced asymmetry parameter may become significant under certain conditions of electron distribution corresponding to relatively low ( K) and E0 (3–6 keV). The results reported here may be useful in the evaluation of the polarization degree of the J = 0–1 x-ray laser output from a germanium plasma in the presence of fast directional electrons.