Compression, heating and fusion in megagauss Z-Θ pinch systems

Cylindrically symmetric inertial confinement fusion systems based on Z-pinch compression of plasma in the presence of a megagauss axial magnetic field are analyzed. The axial magnetic field provides stabilization of the pinch (which allows high compression), confinement of the α-particles, and initial preheat. The optimal parameters found for breakeven are a current peak of 20 MA with FWHM pulse time 40 ns, initial radius of the compressed liner 3 mm, and 30-fold radial compression. For currents in the range 5 to 8 MA the axial magnetic field is shown to increase the DT neutron yield up to ∼1015/cm