Experimental study of an argon-hydrogen Z pinch plasma radiation source

• Published in: IEEE transactions on plasma science Vol. 30; no. 2; pp. 498 - 511
• Main Authors: Shishlov, A.V., Baksht, R.B., Labetsky, A.Yu, Oreshkin, V.I., Rousskikh, A.G., Fedunin, A.V., Chaikovsky, S.A., Kokshenev, V.A., Kurmaev, N.E., Fursov, F.I.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York IEEE 01.04.2002; The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. (IEEE)
• Subjects: Admixtures; Argon; Dynamics; Electronics cooling; Gases; Hydrogen; Implosions; Kinetic energy; Physics; Plasma density; Plasma radiation; Plasma sources; Plasma temperature; Production; Radiation; Shells; Stability; X-rays
• ISSN: 0093-3813; 1939-9375
• DOI: 10.1109/TPS.2002.1024282

Experiments with Ar-H/sub 2/ double gas puffs have been conducted on the GIT-12 generator at the current level of 2.1-2.4 MA and 250-350 ns implosion times. The argon-hydrogen mixture was used as a working medium in the outer shell of a double gas puff. The goal of the experiments was to verify whether the use of the argon-hydrogen mixture in the outer shell can improve the stability of a double gas puff implosion and provide increased argon K-shell radiation yields. The experiments showed that hydrogen admixture results in the change of implosion dynamics: decreased implosion velocities and compression ratios. The experimental data does not allow a conclusion that the use of an Ar-H/sub 2/ mixture in the outer shell of a double gas puff significantly improves the implosion stability. An increase in the hydrogen percentage in the outer shell leads to a decrease in plasma density and temperature, and as a result, reduced K-shell radiation yields and powers.