Solid-fill nozzles for long-implosion Z-pinch experiments to produce argon
K-shell x rays (photon energy >3.1 keV) have been developed. With a 7 cm di
am nozzle, which is appropriate for a 200 ns driver, stable implosions at 1
80 ns and 4 MA have produced peak argon K-shell yields exceeding 15 kJ. As
previously seen with short (similar to 100 ns) implosion times, the K-shell
yield scales as the fourth power of peak current, I-4. Limited testing wit
h a 10 cm nozzle, which is appropriate for a > 250 ns driver, has also achi
eved a stable implosion. (C) 2001 American Institute of Physics.