Design considerations for optically pumped, quasi-CW, UV and XUV lasers in the Be isoelectronic sequence

Intense line radiation from plasmas of Mn VI, PIX, Al V, Al VIII, Al IX, and Al XI may be used to selectively pump population inversions in plasmas of Be-like C III, N IV, F VI, Ne VII, Na VIII, and Mg IX. Quasi-CW lasing is possible on 4p-3d and 4f-3d transitions at wavelengths from 2177 A to 230 A. At the XUV wavelengths, 1 J, 10 ns laser output pulses at 100 million W power levels are shown possible with existing discharge technology. Since all six laser ions are in the Be isoelectronic sequence, detailed studies of the optical pumping process at UV wavelengths in C III would provide scaling parameters for the less accessible XUV wavelengths.