High voltage capillary discharge system for excitation of soft X-ray laser

Abstract

Development of high power pumping system for a capillary discharge soft X-ray laser is reported. The pulsed power system consists of a 2.2 μF LC generator, a 2:54 step-up transformer and a 3 nF water capacitor. The obtained water capacitor voltage reaches about 450 kV when the LC generator is charged to 12.5 kV. Taking advantage of configuration with high efficiency, thus, the measured step-up ratio of a water capacitor voltage to an LC generator initial charging voltage is about 40. As a result, possibility of charging a water capacitor to 1 MV, when the LC generator is charged up to rated voltage, has been demonstrated. With this extremely compact system, discharge current could be increased to nearly 100 kA through a moderately long capillary, which leads to the generation of high-density and high-temperature plasma column in order to realize a soft X-ray laser.