Use of vacuum arc plasma guns for a metal puff Z-pinch system

Abstract

The performance of a metal puff Z-pinch system has been studied experimentally. In this type of system, the initial cylindrical shell 4 cm in diameter was produced by ten plasma guns. Each gun initiates a vacuum arc operating between magnesium electrodes. The net current of the guns was 80 kA. The arc-produced plasma shell was compressed by using a 450-kA, 450-ns driver, and as a result, a plasma column 0.3 cm in diameter was formed. The electron temperature of the plasma reached 400 eV at an average ion concentration of 1.85 · 1018 cm−3. The power of the Mg K-line radiation emitted by the plasma for 15–30 ns was 300 MW/cm.