Tungsten wire number dependence of the implosion dynamics at the Z-accelerator

Abstract

In this paper, we report the results of an experimental campaign to study the initiation, implosion dynamics and radiation yield of tungsten wire arrays as a function of the wire number. An optimization study of the X-ray emitted peak power, rise time and FWHM was effectuated by varying the wire number while keeping the total array mass constant at ∼5.8 mg. The driver used was the ∼20 MA Z-accelerator, in its usual short pulse mode of 100 ns. We studied single arrays of diameter 20 mm and height 10 mm. The smaller wire number studied was 30 and the largest 600. It appears that 600 is the highest wire number achievable with present-day technology. Radial and axial diagnostics were used, including a crystal monochromatic X-ray backlighter. An optimum wire number of ∼370 was observed, which is very close to the number (300) routinely used for the ICF program in Sandia.