Possible utilization of a vapor, formed by the action of a high-power electron beam on a target, as an active medium for stimulated emission of light

A discussion is given of a vaporization of a metal by the action of a high-power electron beam formed as a result of pulsed vacuum breakdown. The optical parameters of such a beam (10⁸ W/cm² for electrons of 100–200 keV energy) make it possible to supply an energy sufficient for the sublimation of each atom. When an energy of 450 J is supplied from a storage capacitor to a vacuum diode, it is possible to attain a metal vapor concentration of at least 10¹⁷ cm^–3 in a volume of 20 cm³.