We report ultrashort pulse, 1 kHz repetition rate x-ray generation in the 5–20 keV spectral region, induced by the interaction of laser radiation with copper nitrate solution and ethylene glycol liquid-jet targets. The characteristics of the copper nitrate source are relevant for application to time-resolved x-ray diffraction studies as well as for spectroscopic x-ray absorption studies. The x-ray sources were operated uninterrupted for in excess of 5 h with no detectable buildup of debris on the associated optics. The x-ray flux generated by both sources is estimated to be of the order of106 photons s−1 sr−1in the 5–20 keV region. The spectra have been measured with both a PIN photodiode, and with transmission measurements taken using aluminum filters. We find that the plasma emission has a broadband component attributed to bremsstrahlung emission, with the bulk of the x-ray emission emitted from the chamber lying between 5 and 20 keV for both sources. The copper nitrate emission, however, delivers a dominant emission peak at 9 keV, attributed to the characteristic K emission of copper. ©1998 American Institute of Physics.