XUV source based on the fast high-current capillary-discharge system

We have built two experimental devices (CAPEX and CAPEX-U) as XUV sources, which are based on a fast capillary discharge. On both these devices we have observed lasing at 46.9 nm (Ne-like Ar line). However, these devices do not only lase at 46.9 nm, but they are also used for testing a possibility of amplification at the wavelengths below 20 nm, that have more practical applications. Our aim is to achieve lasing at 13.4 nm, using excited H-like N ions. The primary pumping process is a three-body collisional recombination one. Nowadays, the fast high-current capillary-discharge experiments with nitrogen-filled capillary are in progress. In this paper the recent results obtained from CAPEX discharge system will be presented (e.g. electrical and XUV characteristics of nitrogen plasma discharge.).