Gas puff pre-ionization and density characterization in COBRA Z-pinches

Summary form only given. The 1-MA COBRA generator at Cornell can be used for a variety of different High Energy Density plasma experiments such as single and nested wire-array z- or x-pinches, conical wire arrays for jet production and gas puff z-pinches1. In the past, it has been used extensively for investigation of wire array z-pinches. Recently, gas puff z-pinch implosion studies have been initiated on COBRA. Gas puff z-pinches are an excellent way to produce and confine high-temperature plasmas. These plasmas generate copious x-ray radiation that has numerous applications such as the lithography, microscopy, and also in the Inertial Confinement Fusion.