Characterization of a 2.8 kJ Small Plasma Focus Using a Five Phase Radiative Model

Abstract

Abstract A radiative five‐phase plasma focus model (axial phase, inward radial phase, reflected shock phase, radiative phase and expanded phase) was applied to a 2.8 kJ plasma focus device to find the structure of the plasma focus formation and to calculate the plasma parameters and emitted radiation from the plasma pinch. To verify the model, the radiation probability of such device in neon plasma has been studied; a linear approximation method was applied by a FORTRAN program which has been written for this purpose. The theoretical and experimental results of the temporal development of current and voltage at 0.9 mbar of neon and spike voltages at different filling gas pressures were obtained and compared. In addition to that our plasma focus (PF) device was compared with different PF devices in relation to the plasma energy density and the drive parameter (© 2009 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)