We outline the results of experiments in the generation of X-ray laser radiation on the 4d-4p Ni-like ion transitions at a wavelength lambda = 189 angstrom under sequential irradiation of plane targets by two laser pulses focused to a line. These experiments were executed on the Sokol-p picosecond laser facility. The average energy of a 4-ps long ultrashort pump pulse was equal to 6.5 J, the energy of a 0.44-ns long prepulse was equal to 2.7 J, and the time delay between them was equal to 1.5 ns. The effective gain for short target lengths was equal to similar to 24 cm(-1). In the travelling pump wave regime, which was realised using a ladder mirror, we obtained an 8-fold increase in output X-ray laser energy in comparison with the output energy obtained in the ordinary target irradiation regime.

The transient collisional excitation (TCE) scheme was used to obtain generation of X-ray laser radiation on the 3p-3s transitions of the Ne-like Ti-ions at 10 TW SOKOL-P laser developed at RFNC-VNIITF. The Nd-laser light was focused in a line with length from 2 up to 8 mm and width of 30 microns. Two successive pulses irradiated the polished Ti-slab. The duration of prepulse was equal to 400 ps and a pumping pulse had duration of 4 ps; the delay between pulses equals to 1.5 ns. The Nd-laser energy was about of 10 J and the ratio of energy in prepulse and basic pulses was equal to 1:2. The grating spectrometer equipped with a focusing mirror and CCD detector was used for measurement of the X-ray laser line at 32.6 nm. A small signal gain about of 30 cm-1 was obtained in experiments with target length from 2 up to 4 mm. The 32.6 nm line radiation with energy about of 1 ¼J and divergence of 9 mrad were registered in SOKOL-P experiments with target length of 8 mm.

Results are presented from experimental investigations of the angular distributions and energy spectra of fast ions produced in deuterium polyethylene targets under irradiation by picosecond laser pulses with intensities of up to 2 × 10 18 W/cm 2 in the SOKOL-P facility. The parameters of ion fluxes were measured by time-of-flight spectrometers based on semiconductor detectors.

The results of experimental studies of the X-ray lasing on the 3p—3s transitions of neon-like titanium ions are presented. The laser radiation at 1.054 μm was focused to a ∼30-μm wide line of length from 2 to 8 mm. Plane polished titanium plates were successively irradiated by two pulses: a 400-ps prepulse and a 4-ps main pump pulse delayed by 1.5 ns relative to the prepulse. The total laser energy was 8–10 J. The nanosecond-to-picosecond pulse energy ratio was maintained constant and was equal to 1:3. For a short target length (from 2 to 4 mm), the 326-Å line intensity was experimentally observed to grow exponentially with length. The small-signal gain for the X-ray laser radiation is estimated at approximately 30 cm-1. The X-ray laser beam divergence was equal to about 9 mrad.

Experimental results on fast neutron generation in D(d,n) 3 He and T(d,n) 4 He reactions in the SOKOL-P laser facility [1] are presented. Solid targets were irradiated by 1.054 μm, s- or p-polarized laser pulses of energy 5-8 J on target and duration 0.85-2 ps. The peak laser intensity was 0.5-2·10 18 W/cm 2 . Flat deuterated plastic (CD 2 ) n targets and D α T β targets were used in experiments. Some experiments were carried out with additional targets placed in front of and behind the laser target. The used (TOF) time-of-flight technique helped identify neutrons from D(d,n) 3 He and T(d,n) 4 He reactions. Yields up to 10 6 DD-neutrons and 10 7 DT-neutrons were measured. Interaction of the fast ion beam with the target can explain the observed yield.