Soft x-ray radiation from nitrogen filled Z-pinch plasma produced by capillary discharge

Summary form only given. We will report characteristics of soft X-ray radiation from nitrogen filled Z-pinch plasma columns energized by capillary discharge in order to evaluate optimum plasma parameters for H-like recombination pumped soft X-ray laser, wavelength of which is 13.4 nm emitted by quantum transition from n=3 to n=2. The discharge system consists of an LC vector inversion high voltage generator, a step-up pulse transformer and a 3-nF water capacitor. By selecting the optimum initial filling pressure, which is low enough to obtain fully stripped nitrogen ions and high enough to match the time of pinch with that of current crest, a pinched plasma column with population inversion adequate for lasing may be obtained in the expansion phase after the pinch