STUDY OF THE SOFT-X-RAY EMISSION FROM CARBON-IONS IN A CAPILLARY DISCHARGE

The soft X-ray emission from plasmas produced in polyacetal and polyethylene capillary discharges excited by current pulses 100 ns FWHM, 50 ns risetime, and peak currents up to 60 kA has been studied. Time-resolved spectra show that intense CVI line emission dominates in the polyethylene discharges, peaking shortly after the maximum of the current and vanishing before the end of the current pulse. Polyacetal capillary spectra are dominated by OvI lines and show weak CvI emission. Plasma density and temperature for the polyethylene discharge were derived from the Stark broadening of CvI Balmer lines and the relative intensities of CvI and Cv lines. A short (5 ns FWHM) pulse of energetic beam electrons was detected in coincidence with the onset of the discharge. The results are discussed in relation to the possibility of obtaining soft X-ray amplification by plasma recombination in a capillary discharge plasma column.