[en] The experimental facility is a 21-cm-long solenoid with a 5.5-cm bore. The 4-cm ID quartz tube is filled with slowly flowing H₂ to 0.5-3.0 torr. Fields up to 6.5 T in 3.7 μsec are produced, with reverse-bias fields up -1.9 T. Preionization is by 40kA axial discharge 4.5 μsec before field-reversal is begun. The CO₂ laser used produces 300 to 400 J in 2 μsec, in an annular beam that can be defocused for preheating the outer edges of the plasma, or focused tightly for central-column heating and beam propagation during formation. The focusing system includes a return mirror for multiple passing of the laser energy. Diagnostics include compensated, diamagnetic flux loops, internal field probes, cross-tube and axial interferometers, fast photography, and spectroscopy