X-ray emission from a nanosecond-pulse discharge in an inhomogeneous electric field at atmospheric pressure

Journal Article · Sat Dec 15 04:00:00 EST 2012 · Physics of Plasmas

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4773439· OSTI ID:22072677

Cheng, Zhang; Tao, Shao; Chengyan, Ren; Dongdong, Zhang ^[1]; Tarasenko, Victor; Kostyrya, Igor D ^[2]; Hao, Ma ^[1]; Ping, Yan ^[1]

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1. Institute of Electrical Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190 (China)
2. Institute of High Current Electronics, Russian Academy of Science, Tomsk 634055 (Russian Federation)

This paper describes experimental studies of the dependence of the X-ray intensity on the anode material in nanosecond high-voltage discharges. The discharges were generated by two nanosecond-pulse generators in atmospheric air with a highly inhomogeneous electric field by a tube-plate gap. The output pulse of the first generator (repetitive pulse generator) has a rise time of about 15 ns and a full width at half maximum of 30-40 ns. The output of the second generator (single pulse generator) has a rise time of about 0.3 ns and a full width at half maximum of 1 ns. The electrical characteristics and the X-ray emission of nanosecond-pulse discharge in atmospheric air are studied by the measurement of voltage-current waveforms, discharge images, X-ray count and dose. Our experimental results showed that the anode material rarely affects electrical characteristics, but it can significantly affect the X-ray density. Comparing the density of X-rays, it was shown that the highest x-rays density occurred in the diffuse discharge in repetitive pulse mode, then the spark discharge with a small air gap, and then the corona discharge with a large air gap, in which the X-ray density was the lowest. Therefore, it could be confirmed that the bremsstrahlung at the anode contributes to the X-ray emission from nanosecond-pulse discharges.

• OSTI ID: 22072677
• Journal Information: Physics of Plasmas, Journal Name: Physics of Plasmas Journal Issue: 12 Vol. 19; ISSN PHPAEN; ISSN 1070-664X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
AIR
ANODES
ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE
BREMSSTRAHLUNG
CORONA DISCHARGES
ELECTRIC CURRENTS
ELECTRIC FIELDS
ELECTRIC POTENTIAL
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
PHOTON EMISSION
PLATES
PULSE GENERATORS
PULSE RISE TIME
TUBES
WAVE FORMS
X RADIATION