Measurements of neutron emission from a Z-pinch constriction

Abstract

Results are presented from measurements of neutron emission generated during discharges with current amplitudes of up to 3 MA and a current rise time of ∼100 ns through profiled loads 10 mm in height and 4–5 mm in diameter. The experiments were performed with the S-300 eight-module high-power generator. To enhance the effect of energy accumulation, a≤1-mm-diameter neck was made in the central region of the load. An agar-agar foam of mass density 0.1 g/cm³ with an additive of deuterated polyethylene was used as a plasma-forming material. The formation of a hot plasma in the Z-pinch constriction was accompanied by the emission of soft X-ray (E = 1–10 keV), hard X-ray (E ≥ 30 keV), and neutron pulses with a minimum pulse duration of ≤10 ns. The neutron energy measured by the time-of-flight technique in three directions relative to the load axis (0°, 90°, and 180°) was found to be 2.5 ± 0.3 MeV, which corresponds to the dd reaction. The total neutral yield during the development of one constriction with a characteristic size of 100 μm attained 10⁸ neutrons per pulse.