ABSTRACTHigh-intensity lasers interacting with solids in vacuum produce non-equilibrium plasma having high equivalent temperatures and high ion energies. In these conditions, depending on the laser parameters, irradiation conditions and target composition and geometry, different nuclear reactions can be induced due to both the high plasma temperature and the wide ion energy distribution of the accelerated species. By focusing the laser spot of very high laser intensities above 1015 W/cm2 on solid targets it is possible to accelerate electrons and ions at relativistic energies above 1–10 MeV/nucleon, sufficient to penetrate into the nucleus of many light atoms. Thus laser–plasma may induce activation, transmutation, fission and fusion processes. The high plasma density and the non-isotropic plasma distribution enhance the number of nuclear events during the laser–plasma interaction along special directions. X and gamma rays, electrons, different ion species and neutrons can be produced mono-energetically or in wide energy distribution. The nuclear reactions 2H(d,n)3He, 2H(d,p)3H, 7Li(d,n)8Be and 11B(p,a)8Be are discussed in more detail with respect to many others when hydrogenated targets containing deuterium, lithium and boron are employed, respectively. The monitoring of the plasma pulse and of the products of the nuclear reactions using different detectors and techniques are also presented and discussed.