Effect of preionization on soft x-ray emission and plasma dynamics in a small plasma focus system

Abstract

A conventional plasma focus device is operated in a volumetric mixture ratio of Ne+He (50:50) to produce a hot and dense plasma without and with preionization which emits radiation in the soft x-ray region. A ring of depleted uranium is employed as a preionization source. Quantrad silicon PIN diodes and a multipinhole camera with suitable filters are used for x-ray analysis. X-ray emission in 4π geometry is measured as a function of Ne+He mixture filling pressure. The experimental results show that preionization not only enhances the yield of the soft x-rays but also increases the focus duration and shot to shot reproducibility of plasma focus. The x-ray images reveal that preionization makes the focus filament symmetric and also enhances its volume.