The study of plasma instabilities is a research topic with fundamental importance since for the majority of plasma applications they are unwanted and there is always the need for their suppression. The initiating physical processes that seed the generation of plasma instabilities are not well understood in all plasma geometries and initial states of matter. For most plasma instability studies, using linear or even nonlinear magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) theory, the most crucial step is to correctly choose the initial perturbations imposed either by a predefined perturbation, usually sinusoidal, or by randomly seed perturbations as initial conditions. Here, we demonstrate that the efficient study of the seeding mechanisms of plasma instabilities requires the incorporation of the intrinsic real physical characteristics of the solid target in an electro-thermo-mechanical multiphysics study. The present proof-of-principle study offers a perspective to the understanding of the seeding physical mechanisms in the generation of plasma instabilities.

This article addresses key features for the implementation of low current pulsed power plasma devices for the study of matter dynamics from the solid to the plasma phase. The renewed interest in such low current plasma devices lies in the need to investigate methods for the mitigation of prompt seeding mechanisms for the generation of plasma instabilities. The low current when driven into thick wires (skin effect mode) allows for the simultaneous existence of all phases of matter from solid to plasma. Such studies are important for the concept of inertial confinement fusion where the mitigation of the instability seeding mechanisms arising from the very early moments within the target's heating is of crucial importance. Similarly, in the magnetized liner inertial fusion concept it is an open question as to how much surface nonuniformity correlates with the magneto-Rayleigh-Taylor instability, which develops during the implosion. This study presents experimental and simulation results, which demonstrate that the use of low current pulsed power devices in conjunction with appropriate diagnostics can be important for studying seeding mechanisms for the imminent generation of plasma instabilities in future research.

The computational study of x-pinch plasmas driven by pulsed power generators demands the development of advanced numerical models and simulation schemes, able to enlighten the experiments. The capabilities of PLUTO code are here extended to enable the investigation of low current produced x-pinch plasmas. The numerical modules of the code used and modified are presented and discussed. The simulations results are compared to experiments, carried out on a table-top pulsed power plasma generator implemented in a mode of producing a peak current of ∼45 kA with a rise time (10%–90%) of 50 ns, loaded with Tungsten wires. The structural evolution of plasma density is studied and its influence on the magnetic field is analyzed with the help of the new simulation data. The simulated areal mass density is compared with the experimentally measured dense opaque region to enlighten the dense plasma evolution. In addition, the measured areal electron density is compared to the simulation results. Moreover, the new simulation data offer valuable insights to the main jet formation mechanisms, which are further analyzed and discussed in relation to the influence of the J × B force and the momentum.

The rapid development of high intensity laser generated particle and photon secondary sources has attracted widespread interest during the last 20 years not only due to fundamental science research but also because of the important applications of this developing technology. For instance, the generation of relativistic particle beams, betatron-type coherent x-ray radiation and high harmonic generation has attracted the interest from various fields of science and technology due to their diverse applications in biomedical, material science, energy, space, and security applications. In the field of biomedical applications in particular, laser driven particle beams as well as laser driven x-ray sources are a promising field of study. This article looks at the research being performed at the Institute of Plasma Physics & Lasers (IPPL) of the Hellenic Mediterranean University Research Centre. The recent installation of the ZEUS 45 TW laser system developed at IPPL offers unique opportunities for research in laser-driven particle and x-ray sources. This article provides information about the facility and describes initial experiments performed for establishing the baseline platforms for secondary plasma sources.