Generation of iodine L-shell X-rays under excitation of large CF{sub 3}I clusters by femtosecond laser radiation

The use of clusters of polyatomic molecules with a relatively low ionisation energy ({approx}10 eV) is proposed for the efficient production of X-ray radiation. We have observed for the first time the generation of characteristic X-ray radiation due to L transitions in iodine atoms under the high-intensity femtosecond laser irradiation of molecular CF{sub 3}I clusters, which were a small admixture to Ar carrier gas. The X-ray conversion efficiency amounts to {approx}10{sup -6} (for a yield of {approx}10{sup 7} photons per pulse), which is an order of magnitude higher than the efficiency we obtained in the case of argon clusters under comparable conditions. (letters)