Experimental investigation of line plasmas created by intensities 109 - 1011 Wcm-2

Results of an experiment aimed at a detailed characterization of line plasmas created by intensities equivalent to those generated by low-level prepulses in the collisional excitation soft x-ray lasers are presented. Electron density profile in the plane perpendicular to the line plasma axis, at times 4 and 10 ns subsequent to the laser pulse, time-integrated electron temperature and time-integrated lateral extent of the plasma were obtained. These parameters were studied for zinc, copper and iron plasmas created on slab target by approximately 400 ps (FWHM) pulses of an iodine laser ((lambda) equals 1.315 micrometer) giving rise to irradiances ranging from approximately 4.8 multiplied by 10 9 to approximately 1.2 multiplied by 10 11 Wcm -2 .