Optimization of a vacuum spark discharge as an x-ray source

The paper reports on the results of experimental investigation of the influence of the trigger location relative to the discharge gap and the trigger energy on spatial and temporal stability and emission parameters of the X-ray sources, formed in low-inductance vacuum spark discharge. The investigations corroborated the influence of initial plasma characteristics on vacuum spark evolution. The conditions for primary forming of the hot spots radiating the X-ray within the spatial region less than 500 μm and with a temporal jitter less than 300 ns were defined.