Neutron emission from a small 1-kJ plasma focus

Abstract

Neutron emissions from a small 0.34–1.35-kJ (10–20-kV) plasma focus in D2 ranged between 1.2×106 and 2.8×108 neutrons per shot. Shapes of the neutron and the hard x-ray pulses (half-width [sine wave] 50 ns) agree, coinciding in time with the ``dip'' in the di/dt pulse. The angular neutron emission appears to follow the assumptions of the target beam model. Optical filament structures in the 30-ns-duration focus could not be observed.