Abstract
Dependence on discharge parameters of X-ray output from Z-pinch plasmas of neon has been investigated; a magnetohydrodynamic model is used in which radiation losses are taken into account. The X-ray output is calculated as a function of initial filling gas density, initial radius of discharge column, and charged voltage on the capacitor. When the initial filling gas density is increased, the X-ray output initially increases due to increase in ion number density, peakes and then, decreases due to decrease in electron temperature. The X-ray output at the optimum initial filling gas density peakes at some initial radius of the discharge column at which Z-pinch takes place nearly at the phase of a quarter cycle of the discharge current oscillation. This phase relation gives a maximum efficiency of the coupling between the stored energy in the capacitor and the energy input to the plasma. If the stored energy in the capacitor bank and inductance are kept constant, and if the initial discharge column radius is so adjusted for each charged voltage as to obtain the maximum X-ray output, then the X-ray output increases with increasing charged voltage on the capacitor even if the current peak value is kept constant.
