Analysis of Laser-Cut Foil X-Pinch X-Ray Line Emission for Radiography Applications*

Previous studies of laser-cut foil x-pinches have shown that they are an improved radiation source over conventional wire x-pinches [1]. We present an analysis of additional foil x-pinch experiments on the GenASIS (150 ns, 250 kA) and LTD-III (150 ns, 800 kA) drivers located at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD). Various foil materials, such as Al, Ti, Mo, and W are tested to observe their x-ray line emission characteristics, particularly from K-shell and L-shell transitions. A comparison of the foil x-pinch's performance between the two drivers provide an assessment of its scaling properties. The radiation is studied with time-integrated x-ray spectrometers and filtered photo-conducting diodes (PCD) for time-resolved measurements. The global characteristics of the foil x-pinches are studied with optical laser probing techniques and extreme ultraviolet (XUV) framing images. [1] G.W Collin IV, et al., Physics of Plasmas 23, 101212 (2016)