Generation of high-energy plasmas by electromagnetic implosion

Abstract

Multimegajoule high-temperature high-Z plasmas are of interest as high-intensity radiation sources for use in a number of applications. This paper describes a possible method of generating such plasmas by means of the j × B driven implosion of thin metallic foil cylinders. Basic analytical guidelines are developed and the results of numerical computations are displayed. Experimental problems associated with the creation of high-energy plasmas by this technique are discussed with some initial experimental results presented.