Z-pinch plasma X-ray source using surface discharge preionization
First Claim
1. A Z-pinch plasma X-ray source comprising:
- a chamber containing a gas at a prescribed pressure, said chamber comprising an insulating wall and defining a pinch region having a central axis, said insulating wall having an inside surface and an outside surface;
a pinch anode disposed at one end of said pinch region;
a conductive shell surrounding said insulating wall and electrically connected to said pinch anode;
a pinch cathode disposed at an opposite end of said pinch region;
a first conductor defining an edge in close proximity to or contacting the inside surface of said insulating wall; and
a second conductor disposed around the outside surface of said insulating wall, wherein a surface discharge is produced on the inside surface of said insulating wall in response to application of a voltage to said first and second conductors, said surface discharge causing the gas to ionize and to form a plasma shell near the inside surface of said insulating wall, wherein said pinch anode and said pinch cathode produce a current through the plasma shell in an axial direction and produce an azimuthal magnetic field in said pinch region in response to application of a high energy electrical pulse to said pinch anode and said pinch cathode, whereby said azimuthal magnetic field causes said plasma shell to collapse to said central axis and to generate X-rays.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A Z-pinch plasma X-ray source includes a chamber having an insulating wall and defining a pinch region, a pinch anode and a pinch cathode positioned at opposite ends of the pinch region, a first conductor defining an edge in close proximity to or contacting an inside surface of the insulating wall and a second conductor disposed around an outside surface of the insulating wall. A surface discharge is produced on the inside surface of the insulating wall in response to application of a voltage to the first and second conductors. The surface discharge causes the gas to ionize and to form a plasma shell near the inside surface of the insulating wall. The pinch anode and the pinch cathode produce a current through the plasma shell in an axial direction and produce an azimuthal magnetic field in the pinch region in response to application of a high energy electric pulse to the pinch anode and the pinch cathode. The azimuthal magnetic field causes the plasma shell to collapse to the central axis and to generate X-rays.
100 Citations
42 Claims
-
1. A Z-pinch plasma X-ray source comprising:
-
a chamber containing a gas at a prescribed pressure, said chamber comprising an insulating wall and defining a pinch region having a central axis, said insulating wall having an inside surface and an outside surface;
a pinch anode disposed at one end of said pinch region;
a conductive shell surrounding said insulating wall and electrically connected to said pinch anode;
a pinch cathode disposed at an opposite end of said pinch region;
a first conductor defining an edge in close proximity to or contacting the inside surface of said insulating wall; and
a second conductor disposed around the outside surface of said insulating wall, wherein a surface discharge is produced on the inside surface of said insulating wall in response to application of a voltage to said first and second conductors, said surface discharge causing the gas to ionize and to form a plasma shell near the inside surface of said insulating wall, wherein said pinch anode and said pinch cathode produce a current through the plasma shell in an axial direction and produce an azimuthal magnetic field in said pinch region in response to application of a high energy electrical pulse to said pinch anode and said pinch cathode, whereby said azimuthal magnetic field causes said plasma shell to collapse to said central axis and to generate X-rays. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
-
-
21. A Z-pinch plasma X-ray system comprising:
-
a chamber comprising an insulating wall and defining a pinch region having a central axis, said insulating wall having an inside surface and an outside surface;
a pinch anode disposed at one end of said pinch region;
a conductive shell surrounding said insulating wall and electrically connected to said pinch anode;
a pinch cathode disposed at an opposite end of said pinch region;
a gas supply system coupled to said chamber;
a first conductor defining an edge in close proximity to or contacting the inside surface of said insulating wall;
a second conductor disposed around the outside surface of said insulating wall, wherein a surface discharge is produced on the inside surface of said insulating wall in response to application of a voltage to said first and second conductors, said surface discharge causing the gas to ionize and to form a plasma shell near the inside surface of said insulating wall; and
a drive circuit connected to said pinch anode and said pinch cathode for applying a high energy electrical pulse to said pinch anode and said pinch cathode, said high energy electrical pulse producing a current through the plasma shell in an axial direction and producing an azimuthal magnetic field in said pinch region, whereby said azimuthal magnetic field causes said plasma shell to collapse to said central axis and to generate X-rays. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
-
-
37. A method for generating soft X-rays or extreme ultraviolet radiation in a Z-pinch plasma X-ray source comprising a Z-pinch chamber containing a gas at a prescribed pressure, said chamber comprising an insulating wall and defining a pinch region having a central axis, a pinch anode disposed at one end of said pinch region and a pinch cathode disposed at an opposite end of said pinch region, said method comprising the steps of:
-
producing, on an inside surface of said insulating wall, a surface discharge that causes the gas to ionize and to form a plasma shell near said insulating wall; and
applying a high energy electrical pulse to said pinch anode and said pinch cathode to produce a current through the plasma shell in an axial direction and to produce an azimuthal magnetic field in said pinch region, whereby said azimuthal magnetic field causes said plasma shell to collapse to said central axis and to generate X-rays. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39, 40, 41)
-
-
42. A Z-pinch plasma X-ray source comprising:
-
a chamber containing a gas at a prescribed pressure, said chamber comprising an insulating wall and defining a pinch region having a central axis, said insulating wall having an inside surface and an outside surface;
a pinch anode and a pinch cathode disposed at opposite ends of said pinch region;
a conductive shell surrounding said insulating wall and electrically connected to said pinch anode;
means for producing a surface discharge on the inside surface of said insulating wall, said surface discharge causing the gas to ionize and to form a plasma shell near the inside surface of said insulating wall, wherein said pinch anode and said pinch cathode produce a current through the plasma shell in an axial direction and produce an azimuthal magnetic field in said pinch region in response to application of a high energy electrical pulse to said pinch anode and said pinch cathode, whereby said azimuthal magnetic field causes said plasma shell to collapse to said central axis and to generate X-rays.
-
Specification