Study of magnetic fields and current in the Z pinch at stagnation

The structure of magnetic fields in wire-array Z pinches at stagnation was studied using a Faraday rotation diagnostic at the wavelength of 266 nm. The electron plasma density and the Faraday rotation angle in plasma were calculated from images of the three-channel polarimeter. The magnetic field was reconstructed with Abel transform, and the current was estimated using a simple model. Several shots with wire-array Z pinches at 0.5–1.5 MA were analyzed. The strength of the magnetic field measured in plasma of the stagnated pinch was in the range of 1–2 MG. The magnetic field and current profile in plasma near the neck on the pinch were reconstructed, and the size of the current-carrying plasma was estimated. It was found that current flowed in the large-size trailing plasma near the dense neck. Measurements of the magnetic field near the bulge on the pinch also showed current in trailing plasma. A distribution of current in the large-size trailing plasma can prevent the formation of multi-MG fields in the Z pinch.