Abstract: The expansion processes of laser - heated plasmas for both gold planar targets and glass sphere targets were studied using space -and time-resolved and energy -and time-resolved techniques and a laser probe on the Xing Guang (1011W)and Shen Guang (1012W)laser facilities. The blow -off stream structure was observed on the sphere target surface where a support pole was attached. The disintegration process of hohlraum targets was studied semi -quantitatively with the laser probe. Furthermore, the speed distributions of ions ejected from both planar and hohlraum targets were measured with Faraday cups.