Neutrons, X-Rays and Charged Particle Beams Emission in a 65 kV Plasma Focus

Abstract

The correlation between the dynamic behaviour of a focused plasma and the bursts of neutrons, X-rays and charged particle beams have been investigated experimentally using a 65 kV plasma focus device. The dynamic bahaviour has been observed with a Mach-Zehnder interferometric system operating in the framing mode. The ion- and the electron beams are detected by a Thomson parabola analyzer and a Čerenkov detector, respectively. Neutrons, X-rays and charged particle beams are produced when a voltage spike appears. The generation of the electron- and the ion beam occur in an interval of 20 ns around the peak of the voltage spike. The m =0 type instabilities are observed even if the voltage spike does not appear. The plasma inductance increases monotonically but rather slowly during the process of the m =0 type instability growth. The neutron yield is ascribed to a generation of the anomalous resistivity in the plasma.