Radiographic and spectroscopic studies of X-pinch plasma implosion dynamics and x-ray burst emission characteristics

Experimental results are presented from studies of the dynamics of X-pinch plasmas, formed using two fine wires that cross and touch at a single point (in the form of an X) as the load of a high current pulser. High-resolution (sub-ns in time and 2-3 mum in space) x-ray radiographs of X pinches driven by current pulses that rise to 200-250 kA peak current in 40 ns show that less than or equal to 300 mum long Z pinches form in the region of the original wire cross-point a few ns prior to the first sub-ns intense x-ray bursts that are characteristic of an X pinch. The Z pinches implode to less than or equal to 10 mum diam and then appear to develop gaps in the radiographic images in one or two places, coincident in time with the x-ray burst(s). The emission spectra of the intense x-ray bursts from different wire materials indicate electron temperatures of 500-1300 eV and densities in excess of 10(22)/cm(3). (C) 2001 American Institute of Physics.