Magnetoelectric Confinement and Stabilization of $Z$ Pinch in a Soft–x-Ray ${\mathrm{Ar}}^{+8}$ Laser

Magnetoelectric confinement and stabilization of the plasma column in a soft-x-ray ${\mathrm{Ar}}^{+8}$ laser, which is excited by a capillary $Z$ pinch, via the combined magnetic and electric fields of the gliding surface discharge is experimentally demonstrated. Unlike soft-x-ray lasers excited by the conventional capillary $Z$ pinches, the magnetoelectric confinement and stabilization of plasma do provide the laser operation without using any external preionization circuit.