Searching for efficient X-ray radiators for wire array Z-pinch plasmas using mid-atomic-number single planar wire arrays on Zebra at UNR

Plasma ionization and resistivity models for low-, mid- and higher-atomic number plasmas and their applications to radiative properties of z-pinches

“…Assuming the X-ray pulse duration w10 ns, we get the following estimation for the energy of the Ohmic heating of plasma: W UA z 60 J and W UB z 450 J. The number produced by the Braginskii model is quite close to the total line radiation energy measured in experiments with Cu z-pinch [14]. Thus, according to the Braginskii model the Ohmic heating may contribute significantly to the energy balance of line radiation plasma sources.…”

Radiative signatures of Z-pinch plasmas at UNR: from X-pinches to wire arrays

“…The presence of F-like Ag lines (labeled F1) indicates the high electron temperatures Te ≥ 1800 eV. 10 The spectral region II in Fig. 3b consists of L-shell Cu and Zn lines and is dominated by Ne-like lines 3C of Cu and Zn, and 3D of Cu.…”

“…Since 2005, radiative and implosion characteristics of Planar Wire Arrays (PWA), the novel wire array loads tested and developed on Zebra at UNR, have been extensively studied [1][2][3][5][6][7][8][9][10][11] . In particular, compact, mm-scale, PWAs demonstrated largest resistive energy (>30 kJ/cm) and power (>1 TW/cm) gain among all tested at university-scale generators (at peak current 1-2 MA) and turned out to be effective radiators, even though the physical mechanism of efficient magnetic energy conversion into radiation still remains unclear.…”

“…The comprehensive studies of dynamics and radiative properties of Single Planar Wire Arrays (SPWA) were recently accomplished for mid-atomic-number (Ni, Cu, Mo, and Ag) 10 and Al 11 SPWAs. For SPWA loads, the wires are involved in a cascade-type implosion starting with the outermost wires and ending with the innermost wires.…”

“…The experiments with X-pinch, cylindrical, nested, and various types of the novel load, Planar Wire Array (PWA) were performed on Zebra generator. [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12] The Zebra generator is a 100 ns rise time, 1 MA current, 1.92 Ω pulsed power generator located at UNR. The total energy stored in the Marx bank was about 150 kJ.…”