Characterization of axially directed x rays generated from a target within a high-power z-pinch (abstract)
- and others
X-ray powers on the order of 10 TW over an area of 4.5 mm2 are produced in the axial direction from the compression of a low-density foam target centered within a z-pinch on the Z generator.1 The x rays from this source are used for high-energy--density physics experiments, including the heating of hohlraums for inertial confinements fusion studies.2 In this article, detailed characteristics of this radiation source measured using an upgraded axial-radiation-diagnostic suite3 together with other on- and off-axis diagnostics are summarized and discussed in terms of Eulerian and Lagrangian radiation--magnetohydrodynamic code simulations. The source, characterized here, employs a nested array of 10-mm-long tungsten wires, at radii of 20 and 10 mm, having a total masses of 2 and 1 mg, and wire numbers of 240 and 120, respectively. The target is a 14mg/ccCH{sub 2} foam cylinder of 5 mm diameter. The codes take into account the development of the Rayleigh--Taylor instability in the r--z plane, and provide integrated calculations of the implosion together with the x-ray generation. The radiation exiting the imploding target through the 4.5 mm2 aperture is measured primarily by the axial diagnostic suite that now includes diagnostics at an angle of {approx}30{sup o} to the z axis. The near on-axis diagnostics include: (1) a seven-element filtered silicon-diode array,4 (2) a five-element filtered x-ray diffraction (XRD) array,5 (3) a six-element filtered PCD array,6 (4) a three-element bolometer,7 (5) time-resolved and time-integrating crystal spectrometers, and (6) two fast-framing x-ray pinhole cameras having 11 frames each. The filtered silicon diodes, XRDs, and PCDs are sensitive to 1--200, 140--2300, and 1000--4000 eV x rays, respectively. They (1) establish the magnitude of the prepluse generated during the run in of the imploding wire arrays, (2) measure the Planckian nature of the dominant thermal, and (3) nonthermal component of the emission. The bolometers and XRDs mounted on the near-normal and 30{sup o} LOS (line-of-sight) measure the total power and check the Lambertian nature of the emission. Additionally, a suite of filtered fast-framing x-ray pinhole cameras and silicon-diode arrays behind a transmission grating, mounted on LOSs nearly normal to the z axis, quantify the plasma plume exiting the aperture. The hard bremsstrahlung generated is estimated with both on- and off-axis shielded scintillator photomultiplier diagnostics.
- Sponsoring Organization:
- (US)
- OSTI ID:
- 40204795
- Journal Information:
- Review of Scientific Instruments, Vol. 72, Issue 1; Other Information: Othernumber: RSINAK000072000001001217000001; 747101CON; PBD: Jan 2001; ISSN 0034-6748
- Publisher:
- The American Physical Society
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Implosion dynamics and radiation characteristics of wire-array Z pinches on the Cornell Beam Research Accelerator
Wire-array initiation and interwire-plasma merger concerns in PBFA-Z tungsten z-pinch implosions