On tuning mechanism of DPF devices

A global instability of pinching plasmas allows us to justify the well-known empirical facts of the use of a mismatched dense plasma focus (DPF) and heavy inert gas admixtures. We assume that an instability of tangential discontinuity is responsible for the instability of a current-carrying plasma column. To inhibit development of a tangential discontinuity in a plasma focus, an array of insulator fibres or metallic wires placed on the anode near the axis of the discharge camera can be used. (author)