High-resolution x-ray spectroscopy of a subpicosecond-laser-produced silicon plasma

The Los Alamos Bright Source laser was used to create a silicon plasma by irradiation of a solid target. A very-high-resolution curved crystal spectrograph was used to detect the emitted x rays. The satellite lines due to the decay of doubly excited states that accompany the Lyman-{α} lines were observed. The 2p3l-1s3l radiative transitions in He-like Si were identified. In addition, all the components of the 2l2p ³P--1s2l ³L transitions were resolved. The spectra were compared to various collisional-radiative calculations with good results.