Study of the soft X-ray emission from carbon ions in a capillary discharge

The soft X-ray emission from plasma produced in polyacetal and polyethylene capillary discharges excited by current pulses 100 ns full-width half-maximum (FWHM), 50 ns risetime, and peak currents up to 60 kA has been studied. Time-resolved spectra show that intense C/sub VI/ line emission dominates in the polyethylene discharges, peaking shortly after the maximum of the current and vanishing before the end of the current pulse. Polyacetal capillary spectra are dominated by O/sub VI/ lines and show weak C/sub VI/ emission. Plasma density and temperature for the polyethylene discharge were derived from the Stark broadening of C/sub VI/ Balmer lines and the relative intensities of C/sub VI/ and C/sub V/ lines. A short (5 ns FWHM) pulse of energetic beam electrons was detected in coincidence with the onset of the discharge.<
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