Long Implosion Time (240 ns) Z-Pinch Experiments with a Large Diameter (12 cm) Double-Shell Nozzle
Abstract
Recently, an 8 cm diameter double-shell nozzle produced argon z-pinches with high K-shell yields with an implosion time of 210 ns. To produce even longer implosion time z-pinches for facilities such as Decade Quad (9 MA short circuit current at 300 ns), a larger nozzle (12 cm outer diameter) was designed and fabricated. During initial testing on Double-EAGLE, 9 kJ of argon K-shell radiation in a 6 ns FWHM pulse was produced with a 240 ns implosion. This is the longest implosion time multi-MA argon z-pinch for x-ray production that has been reported. The initial gas distributions produced by various nozzle configurations have been measured and their impact on the final radiative characteristics of the pinch are presented. The addition of a central jet to increase the initial gas density near the axis is observed to enhance the pinch quality. Results from higher current experiments on Decade Quad will be presented, if available.
- Publication:
-
APS Division of Plasma Physics Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- October 2003
- Bibcode:
- 2003APS..DPPUO1010L