Compression of a cylindrical thin target by intense ion beams generated in the point pinch diode

A new concentric elliptic diode (called the “Point Pinch Diode”) is proposed in which relativistic electron beams tightly pinch at a point on the outer anode center. The pinched beam forms a dense plasma and an intense ion beam from the plasma is generated. This ton beam flows to a cylindrical thin target on the cathode and compresses it. Observed ion beam fluxes are 3 kA/cm 2 ∼15 kA/cm 2 when respective voltage, pulse duration time, and a gap length are 250∼380 kV, 40∼70 ns, 0.5∼3 mm. Major components of the ion beam are hydrogen, oxygen, and carbon, the origin of which is gas absorbed on the anode.