Generation of high-energy plasmas by electromagnetic implosion

Abstract

Multimegajoule high‐temperature high‐Z plasmas are of interest as high‐intensity radiation sources for use in a number of applications. This paper describes a possible method of generating such plasmas by means of the j × B driven implosion of thin metallic foil cylinders. Basic analytical guidelines are developed and the results of numerical computations are displayed. Experimental problems associated with the creation of high‐energy plasmas by this technique are discussed with some initial experimental results presented.