Extreme ultraviolet and soft X-ray imaging with compact, table top laser plasma EUV and SXR sources

Abstract

We present a few examples of imaging experiments, which were possible using a compact laser-plasma extreme ultraviolet (EUV) and soft X-ray (SXR) source, based on a double stream gas puff target. This debris-free source was used in full-field EUV imaging to obtain magnified images of test samples, ZnO nanofibers and images of the membranes coated with salt crystals. The source was also employed for SXR microscopy in the “water-window” spectral range using grazing incidence Wolter type-I objective to image test samples and to perform the initial studies of biological objects. Gas puff target EUV source, spectrally tuned for 13.5nm wavelength with multilayer mirror and thin film filters, was also used in variety of shadowgraphy experiments to study the density of newly developed modulated density gas puff targets. Finally, the source was also employed in EUV tomography experiments of low density objects with the goal to measure and optimize the density of the targets dedicated to high harmonic generation.