An insulator-metallic phase transition cascade for improved electromagnetic flux-compression in &thetas;-pinch geometry

During an initial phase of an ongoing research program at Loughborough University, ultrahigh magnetic fields of up to 300 T (3 MG) have been generated. These have been produced using only 63 kJ from a fast capacitor bank to implode an aluminum liner in a θ-pinch geometry, and 14.7 kJ from a slow capacitor bank to provide an initial magnetic field. The paper analyzes various ways of improving both the θ-pinch magnetic flux-compression efficiency and its reproducibility. As a practical illustration, experimental evidence is presented to demonstrate the benefits obtained from the use of an insulator-metallic phase transition cascade made from powder aluminum.