Powerful laser-driven x-ray source

There are a variety of vacuum ultraviolet and soft x ray radiation sources. They may be stationary (as a synchrotron) and of pulse nature (x-ray tubes with rotating anode, z-pinches, plasma focus, etc.). Present-day investigations prove that the ideas of laser technology may be used for producing sources over this range of photon energies. Here we should note x-ray lasing, laser driven plasma x ray sources, and nonlinear conversion of visible laser radiation. Though this variety gives researchers a wide latitude in the use of such sources, careful examination and optimization for certain experimental conditions must be done. From our point of view, a laser driven x ray source (LDS) has good scientific and commercial potential. LDS has the advantages of small size, short duration, sufficiently high energy, and an easily changeable spectral range. These performances are very suitable for lithography, high resolution microscopy of wet biological samples, and many applications in inertial confinement fusion researches.