Undegassed and Degassed Exploding Tungsten Wires in Vacuum

Abstract

Undegassed and degassed tungsten wires, initially coated with an impurity layer of tungsten oxide and graphite, have been exploded in a vacuum of 2×10⁻⁶ Torr and at an initial capacitor voltage of 20 kV. Correlated x‐ray and electrical measurements of these wires indicate that the x‐ray emission from the wires begins prior to the appearance of the shunting discharge. The hard x‐ray burst emitted has a half‐amplitude width of about 25×10⁻⁹ sec and is reproducible from explosion to explosion provided the initial conditions are identical. The emission of hard x rays but not the main discharge current is influenced by the gases initially adsorbed by the wire surface. Finally, the main discharge current, but not the emission of hard x rays, is influenced by the impurity layer.