https://doi.org/10.1051/epjap/2009136
Enhancing soft X-ray emission with depleted uranium in neon plasma focus
Department of Physics, Quaid-i-Azam University, 45320 Islamabad,
Pakistan
Corresponding author: mzakaullah@qau.edu.pk
Received:
10
September
2008
Revised:
11
May
2009
Accepted:
18
May
2009
Published online:
17
September
2009
Depleted uranium (U
is used for pre-ionization in the neon gas to
study the soft X-ray emission in a Mather type plasma focus of 3.3 kJ. The
X-rays are detected using an assembly of Quantrad Si pin diodes, masked with
differential Ross fitters, and with a multi pinhole camera. The X-ray yield
and pinhole images are found strongly influenced by the preionization and
the pressure of the working gas. The soft X-ray yield of 82.5 ± 4.0 J in
1.3–1.56 keV energy window is obtained in the case of preionization of
neon gas at the optimum pressure of 5 mbar, leading to the conversion
efficiency of 2.5% of the stored energy. The total yield with
preionization is 195 ± 9.0 J in 4π geometry measured at the optimum
pressure of 5 mbar giving conversion efficiency of 5.9%. The time
integrated images indicate the broadening of X-ray emission zone with
preionization.
PACS: 52.58.lq – Z-pinches, plasma focus, and other pinch devices / 52.38.ph – X-ray, gamma-ray, and particle generation / 52.40.kh – Plasma sheaths / 52.25.os – Emission, absorption, and scattering of electromagnetic radiation
© EDP Sciences, 2009
