Renovating ``Sparky'' Facility to Investigate Gas-puff Z-pinches with X-ray Focusing Spectrometers

POSTER

Abstract

The compact x-ray/EUV facility ``Sparky'' at the UNR Physics Department's Plasma Physics and Diagnostics Laboratory (PPDL) was renovated to obtain high density and temperature plasmas with gas-puff Z-pinch experiments. The renovated facility will be used for plasma dynamics and radiation studies, benchmarking of theoretical codes, calibration of x-ray diagnostics, and training of UNR physics students. In ``Sparky'' vacuum spark tests, up to 110 kA with a 1-1.5 $\mu $s rise time have been measured with the capacitor bank at 17 kV of its 25 kV capacity. A gas-puff system has been developed with pre-ionization capabilities. Interferometry and Rayleigh scattering measurements indicate a hollow shell structure in the density of the supersonic Ar gas jet. A Hamos type spectrometer using a mica crystal and a Johann type spectrometer using a Si crystal were designed for x-ray spectroscopy of ``Sparky'' Z-pinches. Both spectrometers were tested with the UNR Leopard sub-ps laser and recorded x-ray spectra from laser interactions with Ar and Kr gas-puff jets from supersonic nozzles.

Authors

  • M.C. Cooper

    Physics Department of the University of Nevada, Reno

  • V.L. Kantsyrev

    Physics Department of the University of Nevada, Reno, Physics Department, University of Nevada, Reno

  • A.S. Safronova

    Physics Department of the University of Nevada, Reno, University of Nevada, Reno, Physics Department, University of Nevada, Reno

  • I.K. Shrestha

    Physics Department of the University of Nevada, Reno, University of Nevada, Reno, Physics Department, University of Nevada, Reno

  • V.V. Shlyaptseva

    Physics Department of the University of Nevada, Reno, Physics Department, University of Nevada, Reno

  • K.A. Schultz

    Physics Department of the University of Nevada, Reno, Univ of Nevada - Reno

  • A. Stafford

    Physics Department of the University of Nevada, Reno, University of Nevada, Reno, Physics Department, University of Nevada, Reno

  • E.E. Petkov

    Physics Department of the University of Nevada, Reno, Univ of Nevada - Reno, Physics Department, University of Nevada, Reno

  • M.T. Schmidt-Petersen

    Physics Department of the University of Nevada, Reno, University of Nevada, Reno

  • Chi-Yu Hu

    University of California - Berkeley, National Institute for Materials Science, Caifornia State University, Long Beach, University of Michigan, Stockholm University, California State University, Long Beach, Utrecht University, Carl von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg, Germany, Hartnell Community College, Department of Physics, Stockholm University, GRAPPA, University of Amsterdam, Paul Scherrer Institute, Switzerland, California State University, Fresno, California State University Long Beach, Cal State Univ- Long Beach, University of Nevada, Reno, University of Rogensberg, Germany, Tribhuvan University, Nepal, University of Victoria and Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics, Institute of Physics, Jagiellonian University, Helmholtz Institute Mainz, Johannes Gutenberg University, Physics Department of the University of Nevada, Reno, Universita del Sannio, Cal Tech, California State University, Los Angeles, Univ of California - San Diego, UC Berkeley, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Department of Physics & Astronomy, University of California, Irvine 92617, Department of Chemistry and of Physics & Astronomy, University of California, Irvine 92617, SLAC National Laboratory, Humboldt State University, Physics Department, University of Nevada, Reno, Univ of California - Merced

  • Chi-Yu Hu

    University of California - Berkeley, National Institute for Materials Science, Caifornia State University, Long Beach, University of Michigan, Stockholm University, California State University, Long Beach, Utrecht University, Carl von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg, Germany, Hartnell Community College, Department of Physics, Stockholm University, GRAPPA, University of Amsterdam, Paul Scherrer Institute, Switzerland, California State University, Fresno, California State University Long Beach, Cal State Univ- Long Beach, University of Nevada, Reno, University of Rogensberg, Germany, Tribhuvan University, Nepal, University of Victoria and Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics, Institute of Physics, Jagiellonian University, Helmholtz Institute Mainz, Johannes Gutenberg University, Physics Department of the University of Nevada, Reno, Universita del Sannio, Cal Tech, California State University, Los Angeles, Univ of California - San Diego, UC Berkeley, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Department of Physics & Astronomy, University of California, Irvine 92617, Department of Chemistry and of Physics & Astronomy, University of California, Irvine 92617, SLAC National Laboratory, Humboldt State University, Physics Department, University of Nevada, Reno, Univ of California - Merced