A plasma source for an imaging X-ray microscope

Pinch Plasmas are sources of high brilliance for soft x-rays in the wavelength range from Lambda equal 0.1 nm to 20 nm. A plasma focus device emitting line radiation of hydrogen-like nitrogen (N VII) at Lambda equal 2.5 nm into the water window region has been developed as a source for a laboratory imaging x-ray microscope. Several diagnostic methods are applied to measure and maximize the brilliance of the line emission of the source. With an x-ray optic developed at Göttingen pictures with 0.1-0.2 Mym lateral resolution have been taken.