Simulations of the kinetics of the active medium of an X-ray laser heated by high-power picosecond pulses

The gain on the 3S — 3P transitions of Ne-like ions produced upon material heating by high-power picosecond laser pulses was numerically simulated. The dependence of the gain on the average value of the nuclear charge Z and the irradiation intensity was investigated. The shortest wavelength of X-rays that can be produced from the plasma of Ne-like ions was predicted.