We highlight the recent experimental results on laser-driven radiative shock waves of astrophysical interests using kJ PALS laser facility. The generated shock is probed instantaneously by X-ray laser (λ = 21.2 nm) showing an unambiguous shock structure that includes both the post-shock and the precursor.

Propagation of Gaussian X-ray laser beam is presented in collisional quantum plasma and the beam width oscillation is studied along the propagation direction. It is noticed that due to energy absorption in collisional plasma, the laser energy drops to an amount less than the critical value of the self-focusing effect and consequently, the laser beam defocuses. It is found that the oscillation amplitude of the laser spot size enhances while passing through collisional plasma. For the greater values of collision frequency, the beam width oscillates with higher amplitude and defocuses in a shallower plasma depth. Also, it is realized that in a dense plasma environment, the laser self-focusing occurs earlier with the higher oscillation amplitude, smaller laser spot size and more oscillations.

In this paper the classical theory of Above Threshold Ionization (ATI) in the oxygen plasma was used to show how the residual electron energy depends on the laser parameters such as pulse length, wavelength and peak intensity. The value of ATI energy is found to increase with laser wavelength and its intensity. Our study conducted for three cases of τ > 2π/νp, τ = 2π/ωp, and τ < 2π/ωp, where ωp is the plasma frequency, reveals that the ATI energy is decreased for the pulse duration τ ≠ 2π/ωp. Also it is showed how the space charge effect can reduce the residual electron energy to a minimum value, in a suitable condition. By optimizing various parameters, we can generate the cold electrons suitable for the recombination x-ray laser.

Intense and stable laser operation with Ni-like Zr and Ag was demonstrated at pump energies between 2 J and 5 J energy from the PHELIX pre-amplifier section. A novel single mirror focusing scheme for the TCE x-ray laser (XRL) has been successfully implemented by the LIXAM/MBI/GSI collaboration under different pump geometries. This shows potential for an extension to shorter XRL wavelength. Generation of high quality XRL beams for XRL spectroscopy of highly charged ions is an important issue within the scientific program of PHELIX. Long range perspective is the study of nuclear properties of radioactive isotopes within the FAIR project.

We give on overview of recent advances in collisionally pumped optical field-ionization soft X-ray lasers developed at LOA. Saturated amplification has been achieved on the 5d-5p transition in Xe8+ at 41.8 nm, and on the 4d-4p transition in Kr8+ at 32.8 nm. We demonstrate a significant increase of the energy output from the Xe8+ laser driven within two types of wave-guide. Finally, we present results of a pioneering work aimed to set up and characterize the first true soft X-ray laser chain.

We have developed a compact, 14.7 nm, sub-5 ps X-ray laser source at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) together with a Mach-Zehnder type diffraction grating interferometer built at Colorado State University for probing dense, high intensity laser-produced plasmas. The short wavelength and pulse length of the probe reduces refraction, absorption effects within the plasma and minimizes plasma motion blurring. This unique diagnostic capability gives precise two-dimensional (2D) density profile snapshots and is generating new data for rapidly evolving laser-heated plasmas. A review of the results from dense, mm-scale line focus plasma experiments will be described with detailed comparisons to hydrodynamic simulations.

Within the next few years X-ray free-electron lasers (XFELs) now under construction are expected to generate highly collimated XUV pulses with 1013 photons and a duration of 100 fs. Focusing this radiation to a spot some 10 μm in diameter generates intensities of up to 1016 W/cm2. Such pump intensities make feasible the investigation of photopumped XUV lasers using this radiation. We present simulations taking into account two different mechanisms generating the gain: (1) photoionization with subsequent three-body recombination, which takes advantage of the monochromaticity of the pump radiation to generate very cold electrons; (2) inner-shell ionization in which transient inversion is obtained by generating a hole in an otherwise completely filled shell. The simulations show that under appropriate conditions both mechanisms generate very high gain. However, a number of further issues must be considered, such as the propagation of the pump pulse in the medium to be pumped.

We have constructed an X-ray photoelectron microscopic system. An X-ray source is a laser-produced plasma in a scheme of an X-ray laser experiment. X rays involving amplified spontaneous emissions (ASE) at 15.47 nm were delivered with a 10-Hz repetition rate from a compact X-ray laser system. X rays were collected and focused by a Schwarzschild optics coated with Mo/Si multilayers for a 15.47-nm X ray. Photoelectron signals due to the Ga 3d and As 3d electrons were observed, when a GaAs wafer was used as a sample. The spatial resolution of about 1 μm was confirmed.