Physica Scripta Correlation Study of Ion, Electron and X-ray Emission from Argon Focus Plasma

Abstract

In a low energy argon plasma focus energized by a 32µF, 15kV single capacitor, ion, electron and X-ray emission are studied. At a low pressure of 0.25mbar, the X-ray emission region in broad and a considerable amount of X-rays originate from the anode surface. With increasing filling gas pressure, the X-ray emission zone squeezes to pinch filament at the axis. The intensities of the X-ray, electron and ion beams signals are found to be correlated mutually as well as with the high voltage probe signal intensity. The average energy of the Ar ion beam is found to be filling pressure dependent, and is about 2.7MeV at 0.25mbar Ar increasing to 4.8MeV at higher pressure.