Study of the high-current Z-pinches at the Kurchatov Institute

Fast implosion of Z-pinches is considered as possible way to the generation of X-ray pulse on the level of some dozens MJ aimed at IFE. In this talk, experiments on the S-300 pulsed power machine are presented on the current-driven implosion of wire arrays composed of different fractions of Al and W. In the case of nested arrays, the effect of "pass" the outer liner, while imploding, through the inner one was first discovered on the base of X-ray spectral analysis. Another experimental series was carried out on sharpening the pulse by the plasma flow switches operating in nanosecond range with typical space scales ~1 mm. The reproducible regime of switching on the level of 750 kA is achieved, with the consequent damping rate ~100 ns. The radiative temperature of the inner wall of Hohlraum turns out to be as high as 40-50 eV. Besides, the prospects of application plasma opening switches as output cascades of pulsed power generators of megajoule range is studied on base of RS-20 machine. By using the programmed fill the diode gap by plasma, the suppression of pre-pulse has been achieved and shortening the pulse from 40 μs to 100 ns has been obtained.