Radiation Emission and Evolution of Sheared-Flow-Stabilized Z-Pinches on FuZE and FuZE-Q

Sheared-flow-stabilized Z-Pinches FuZE and FuZE-Q produce high energy photons and neutrons. The soft X-rays are detected by XUV photodiodes with foil filters, allowing for the transmission ratios to be taken to give information about the temperature of the plasma. Neutron yields are determined by various activation detectors. A series of 4 similar rhodium activation detectors gives spatial resolution of the devices’ neutron generation, while an arsenic activation detector gives a more sensitive though spatially less resolved measurement of the yield. In addition to numerous fast plastic scintillators, a set of organic glass pulse shape discriminating scintillators measure neutron energies, assuring that there is no signal contamination of the spectroscopic data from prompt gammas created by neutron interactions with surrounding materials, or other high energy photons produced by the machines. This suite of detectors are used for monitoring the evolution of the radiation emitted, and the optimization of the performance of the two fusion reactor concept devices.