Study of the effect of pyrex and quartz insulators on X-ray intensity in a 4 kJ plasma focus device

Abstract

In this paper we study the soft X-ray (SXR) and hard X-ray (HXR) intensity produced in different insulator sleeves by a 4 kJ plasma focus device (APF) using filtered PIN-diodes and a fast scintillation detector. The experiments were performed for a great number of neon filling gas pressures at voltages of 11, 12 and 13 kV. Lengths of 40 and 50 mm look optimal to yield the most SXR intensity for the Pyrex and Quartz insulators respectively. The device appears to optimize much better for Pyrex insulator than the Quartz. For Pyrex and Quartz insulators, the lengths of 40 mm and 50 mm seem optimal to yield maximum HXR intensity, respectively.