We are developing techniques to shorten the time duration of neon-like x-ray lasers while maintaining their high brightness in order to optimize their usefulness as a plasma diagnostic. Adjusting the duration of the pump laser pulse is shown to directly influence the duration of neon-like x-ray laser transitions. Using slab targets, multiple 100 ps pulses and traveling wave geometry we have shortened the duration of lasing transitions down to 45 ps for both the neon- like germanium and yttrium x-ray lasers. However for the neon-like yttrium laser the intensity of short duration pulses are down two orders of magnitude from the long duration pulses because of limitations of the driving laser. We are presently looking at curved targets and pulse shaping in order to more efficiently pump the Ne-like x-ray laser system and increase the output intensity of the lasing lines. The relative merits of using the germanium x-ray laser at 196 angstrom compared to the yttrium x-ray laser at 155 angstrom are discussed.
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