Neutron Production From a Small Modified Plasma Focus Device

In this paper, the results are presented of the study of the pinch evolution in the modified small plasma-focus device at the current peak of 200 kA and with a deuterium filling. The disk conducting the cathode was placed 1 cm in front of the inner electrode (anode). The neutron yield reached 10⁶-10⁸ per shot. The evolution of the plasma was imaged with four pinhole XUV frames and two schlieren pictures. The neutron signals were registered with three scintillation detectors. The figures and signals were enabled to describe the pinch phase at the moment of hard X-ray and neutron production with a 2-ns temporal uncertainty. The results were similar to the results obtained on the PF-1000 at the current of 2 MA. The first neutron pulse is produced at the stagnation, and the dominant neutron production correlates with the disintegration of the dense plasma column. Additionally, the energies of fast neutrons and deuterons producing neutrons have similar values and distributions as in PF-1000.