X-ray and neutron emission studies in a new Filippov type plasma focus

We have performed experimental comparative studies of the x-ray and neutron emission generated by the new Filippov-type plasma focus "Dena", (90 kJ, 25 kV, 288mF) in the pressure range of 0.6-1 torr. Time-integrated and time-resolved detectors, together with an x-ray pin-hole camera, along with a Be filter of 10mm thickness have been used. For a working gas of neon and a at insert anode, the maximum soft and hard x-rays (SXR-HXR) yield obtained was 16 V and 1.5 V/shot over a 4p solid angle, respectively, for a charging voltage range of 16-20 kV. As for the argon gas, the similar results such as 3.5 and 2 V/shot have been found, leading to a total conversion eAciency of x-ray emission of 0.09 % (for neon) and 0.03 % (for argon) of the stored energy. These efficiencies have been improved by the employment of a conic insert anode up to 0.4% and 0.1%. With deuterium puffing gas and a at insert anode, the maximum emission yield has been found to be 2.5 V for SXR and 1 V for HXR/shot which produce an ultimate emission profile width (FWHM) of 70-90 ns for x-rays and neutrons, giving rise to a maximum neutron yield of 1.2 × 109. Nevertheless, the maximum yield has been increased up to 5.5 times with the conic insert anode. In order to increase the neutron yield, we have introduced a krypton admixture to the deuterium filling gas and found that, for a krypton pressure of about 0.1 torr, the neutron yield increases by a factor of 3.5 for the flat insert and 1.5 for the conic insert anodes.