X-ray radiation from dense plasma focus

Using plasma puff (or wire array) pinches in vacuum to produce radiation in X-ray spectral range has proven successful using high power, short pulse (∼ 100 ns) pulse generators. While there is considerable interest in scaling the results to higher yields and extending the spectrum to higher photon energies, it is recognized that short pulse technology is costly and the power flow required to drive high currents through the implosion becomes difficult and leads to lowering of system efficiency. To overcome cost and power flow difficulties, generators with moderate implosion times are being developed utilizing plasma flow switch techniques to provide large currents with 400--500 ns rise-time. Dense Plasma Focus is examined in this paper as yet another technology suitable for production of intense X-ray radiation. DPF has been used mainly for dense plasma physics and neutron production studies. Its capability to produce X-ray radiation has not been extensively explored, even though its implosion stability and large compression ratio (with large initial radius) suggests that high ion kinetic energies are achievable. DPF performance as a radiation source will be reviewed. The available data and unique implosion features of DPF will be considered in formulating scaling relations for extending DPF techniques to multi-MJ energy storage system for driving intense radiation sources