Effect of the gas distribution on implosion dynamics and the K-shell yield of the neon gas-puffs with the outer plasma shell

The experiments have been carried out on the GIT-12 generator to characterize the effect of the anode and cathode meshes installed on the path of the gas flow on the initial gas density distribution, the gas-puff implosion dynamics, and the resulting radiative characteristics of the Ne K-shell plasma radiation source (PRS) operated in the microsecond implosion regime. The experiments showed that the obstacles located directly on the way of the main gas flow have the greatest influence on the gas distribution in the interelectrode gap of the generator. At all other factors being the same, the presence or absence of the anode and cathode meshes changed significantly the implosion dynamics and radiative characteristics of the Ne K-shell PRS. In our experiments, we observed two-fold decrease in the K-shell radiation yield and more than four-fold decrease in the K-shell radiation power. These observations should be taking into account in development of the gas-puff loads for Z-pinch experiments. (paper)