Publications Details

Investigating radial wire array Z pinches as a compact x-ray source on the Saturn generator

Ampleford, David A.; Bland, Bland; Jennings, Christopher A.; Lebedev, S.V.; Chittenden, J.P.; Cuneo, M.E.; McBride, Ryan D.; Jones, Brent M.; Hall, G.N.; Suzuki-Vidal, F.; Serrano, Jason D.; Bott-Suzuki, S.C.

Radial wire array z pinches, where wires are positioned radially outward from a central cathode to a concentric anode, can act as a compact bright x-ray source that could potentially be used to drive a hohlraum. Experiments were performed on the 7-MA Saturn generator using radial wire arrays. These experiments studied a number of potential risks in scaling radial wire arrays up from the 1-MA level, where they have been shown to be a promising compact X-ray source. Data indicates that at 7 MA, radial wire arrays can radiate ~9 TW with 10-ns full-width at half-maximum from a compact pinch.