Observations of X-ray emission from a plasma focus device

Summary form only given, as follows. This paper describes a pulsed X-ray source that has been developed and investigated. Hydrogen is injected into the DPF-250 device with pressure (4/spl sim/6) Torr in the discharge chamber. The X-ray photo energy spectrum was measured by LIF thermoluminescence dose elements (TLDS) matched different filters of several materials. Six filters were selected and their thick are: beryllium-100, 500, aluminum-27.4, copper-10, 49, 20.33 and 200 /spl mu/m. Therefore, the X-ray energy spectra we have measured are about (3/spl sim/60) keV and totalling 70% of the total spectral emission at hu<25 keV. The X-ray yield is deduced from the digital recorder of a bolometer through an beryllium foil transmission filter (50 /spl mu/m thick). At the same time, the analogue signal output from the bolometer was recorded on an oscillograph. We have obtained the yield as (50/spl sim/90) J/shot into 4/spl pi/, the corresponding photo energy to be higher than 2.5 keV, when the stored energy was 40 kJ. The time dependent X-ray intensity from DPF was recorded with a silicon PIN detector and a Tektronix 7844 oscilloscope. Two peaks of X-ray output was observed. The duration time of X-ray is about 200 ns. A pinhole image was acquired of the DPF discharge. At a 90 degree direction with respect to the electrode axis is placed a X-ray pinhole camera with pinhole diameter 0.3 mm. The pictures show two strong exposed contours of the target of the anode and the focus.