The realization of a capillary discharge soft X-ray source, for soft x ray
laser generation by high temperature (> 100 eV) plasma column excitation in
small diameter (4 mm) ceramic capillary, is reported. Radiation at 46.9 nm
, produced by a very fast high voltage pulse (similar to 50 ns, 300 kV) in
Neon-like argon, according to a technique initiated by J.J.Rocca et al. [1]
, has been investigated by multilayer mirrors. Evidence is given for Z-pinc
h in the plasma column at about 40 kA, with associated X-ray generation.
Application of this table-top X-ray source have been considered in differen
t fields as X-ray microscopy and lithography.