Short-pulse pumping of a recombination Balmer-α laser of hydrogenic sodium

Abstract
A NaF foil target was irradiated at an intensity of 6.0 × 1014 W/cm2 with a 28-psec, 526-nm, 23-J laser pulse. A space- and time-averaged gain coefficient of 4 ± 1 cm−1 was obtained for Na XI H-α at 5.42 nm. Computer simulation gives a peak time- and space-resolved gain of ~18 cm−1.