Soft X-ray gain in hydrogenic ions: Line pumping,ionization pumping and transient excitation

In a plasma containing hydrogenic ions which is irradiated by appropriate X-ray radiation, gain on the n=3n=2 (Balmer-) transition can be generated. Depending on the spectrum of the pump radiation, there are two different ways of obtaining the inversion: direct excitation of the upper laser level by line radiation, or ionization of the hydrogenic ions by broad band radiation with subsequent population of the upper level by recombination.In the first part of this paper, we present numerical calculations which compare the two pumping methods. The gain is evaluated under idealized conditions, i.e., with a pump spectrum containing only radiation useful for generating an inversion and under more realistic conditions, with a pump spectrum containing radiation at other frequencies as well.In the second part of the paper the possibility of obtaining Balmer- gain in hydrogenic ions under highly transient conditions is investigated, assuming a pump pulse with a duration comparable to the decay time of the lower laser level. Considerable gain is predicted even for a black-body pump spectrum.     

Small angle and quasi-elastic neutron scattering studies on polymethylmethacrylate latices in nonpolar media

Poly(methylmethacrylate) particles stabilised by poly(12-hydroxystearic acid) in a hydrocarbon medium provide, as a polymer latex, a useful system for investigating the properties of a sterically stabilised concentrated dispersion. In the present work these latices were investigated by small angle coherent neutron scattering and by quasielastic incoherent scattering. The former technique was used to probe the dimensions of the surface layer of poly(12-hydroxystearic acid) and to determine the diameter of the core particle of poly(methylmethacrylate) using dilute dispersions. In concentrated dispersions it was used to determine the structure factor. The latter was compared with that expected for an interacting system of hard spheres and reasonable agreement obtained. The quasielastic technique was used to probe the translational diffusion of the poly(12-hydroxystearic acid) molecules on the surface and the diffusion of the total particles in the concentrated systems.