Staged Z-pinch Experiments on Cobra and Zebra

ORAL

Abstract

A Staged Z-pinch (SZP), configured as a pre-magnetized, high-Z (Ar, or Kr) annular liner imploding onto a low-Z (H, or D) target, was tested on the Cornell University, Cobra Facility and the University of Nevada, Reno, Zebra Facility; each characterized similarly by a nominal 1-MA current and 100-ns risetime while possessing different diagnostic packages. XUV-fast imaging reveals that the SZP implosion dynamics is similar on both machines and that it is more stable with an axial (B$_z$) magnetic field, a target, or both, than without. On Zebra, where neutron production is possible, reproducible thermonuclear (DD) yields were recorded at levels in excess of 10$^9$/shot. Flux compression in the SZP is also expected to produce magnetic field intensities of the order of kilo-Tesla. Thus, the DD reaction produced tritions should also yield secondary DT neutrons. Indeed, secondaries are measured above the noise threshold at levels approaching 10$^6$/shot.

*Funded by the Advanced Research Projects Agency - Energy, under grant number DE-AR0000569.

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Authors

  • F. Wessel

    • Magneto-Inertial Fusion Technologies, Inc.
    • MIFTI

  • A. Anderson

    • University of Nevada, Reno

  • Jacob Banasek

    • Cornell University

  • Tom Byvank

    • Cornell University

  • Fabio Conti

    • University of California, San Diego
    • UCSD

  • T. W. Darling

    • University of Nevada, Reno

  • E. Dutra

    • University of Nevada, Reno
    • UNR

  • Vladimir Glebov

    • University of Rochester
    • Laboratory for Laser Energetics, U. of Rochester
    • Laboratory for Laser Energetics

  • J. Greenly

    • Cornell University

  • D. A. Hammer

    • Cornell University

  • W. M. Potter

    • Cornell University

  • Sophia Rocco

    • Cornell University

  • M. Ross

    • University of California, San Diego
    • UCSD

  • E. Ruskov

    • Magneto-Inertial Fusion Technologies, Inc.
    • MIFTI

  • J. Valenzuela

    • University of California, San Diego
    • University of California San Diego
    • UCSD

  • Farhat Beg

    • University of California, San Diego
    • UCSD
    • Univ. CA, San Diego

  • A. Covington

    • UNR
    • Nevada Terawatt Facility and Physics Department, University of Nevada, Reno
    • Department of Physics, University of Nevada, Reno, NV 89557
    • University of Nevada, Reno
    • Univ. Nevada, Reno

  • J. Narkis

    • University of California, San Diego
    • UCSD

  • Hafiz U. Rahman

    • Magneto-Inertial Fusion Technologies, Inc.
    • MIFTI