K, L, and M spectra of a laser plasma suitable for active x-ray diagnostics

The emission spectra of a laser plasma were determined at wavelengths of 6–7 and 7.5–8.5 A for flat targets with atomic numbers Z = 6–83 using laser radiation of densities (1–4) × 1013 W/cm2. The experimentally determined intensities of the K, L, and M spectra (~ 1015–1016 photons/4π) were compared with the results of calculations of conversion of laser radiation into x-ray emission of a laser plasma. The results obtained made it possible to optimize a laser-plasma source of soft x rays, which could be used in particular as an x-probe of a high-temperature dense plasma.