Hydrogen-like recombination X-ray lasers using ps pulse drivers

We propose a scheme for producing high gain recombination X-ray lasers on hydrogen-like Balmer transitions by irradiating fibre targets with a 2 ps Chirped Pulse Amplification CPA beam of a Nd-glass laser facility. Very high gain coefficients for H-like C, N, O, F, Na Balmer transitions are predicted. The optimum electron density and temperature for maximum gain operation scale approximately asN_e 4 × 10¹³Z⁷ cm^–3 and T_e 7 × 10^–3Z⁴ eV, respectively, at the time when maximum lasing gain appears. Significant improvement in gain performance of recombination X-ray lasers is predicted by using CPA ps pulse drivers.