A Gas Puff Plasma X-Ray Source

Employing a gas-puff-z-pinch plasma, a high brightness plasma x-ray source has been developed. The stable x-ray output is attained by using a fast-acting gas valve, capable of operating stably under gas plenum pressure below 300 Torr.. With this x-ray source, 1-1.4nm x-rays with 100J per pulse (300W average power) areobtained using Ne gas plasma in a 3pps repetition-rate discharge. In the axial direction of the columnar plasma, the x-ray spectral features vary from the primary profile due to x-ray absorption by high-density plasma. Damage to the x-ray extraction window is drastically reduced by forming a mass of gas swarm in front of the window to take away the remained particles, which could not be removed by the magnetic filed and plasma reflecting plate.