Investigation of Ne IX and Ne X line emission from a gas-puff Z-pinch plasma using Ross filter systems

Abstract

Semiconductor detectors can provide measurements of the X-ray emission spectra from Z-pinch plasmas with spectral, time and spatial resolution simultaneously. PIN detectors working in the current regime (up to 1 A), fast enough (1 nsec rise time), and small enough (1 to 3 mm/sup 2/ active area) are suitable, provided the X-ray spectral resolution is achieved by some element external to the detector before the X-ray flux is reaching its sensitive area. Ross (or balanced) filters are especially useful for this X-ray filtration system. A Ross filter system was designed and built for the investigation of the Ne IX and Ne X line emission. The experiments were carried out on the moderate density and temperature Ne plasma (14 mm length and approximately <1 mm final diameter) produced in a 1.2 /spl mu/s, 300 kA gas-puff Z-pinch device. The current is measured by an absolutely calibrated one turn B-dot coil located at 8 cm distance from the z-axis. We are reporting the first results of the Ne IX and Ne X ion line emission measurements using the recently built Ross filter diagnostic.