Design and Characterization of One-Capacitor Compact Plasma Focus Device With Tapered Anode

A compact plasma focus (PF) device powered by a single capacitor (
$42~\mu \text{F}$
) with a tapered anode has been designed, built, and tested. This tapering anode is designed to boost the device’s X-ray, ion emissions, and electromagnetic plasma propulsion. At 12 kV and 2 Torr, an impressive amount of light fills an extension tube. Consequently, the discharge voltage signals show spikes, indicating an effective pinch action. The experimental findings reveal that the time-to-pinch is directly proportional to the argon gas pressure in the device under study and has a negative association with the supplying voltage. The Lee model is adapted to make the calculated current more closely match the measured current. This model has been used to estimate a number of parameters at different charging voltages and operating pressures, including electron temperature, ion density, and pinch characteristics, including radius, length, current, and temperature. In the case of a tapering anode, the ion density and pinch current were found to be significantly higher than in the no-taper theoretical situation. Moreover, a great deal of energy was generated as the plasma, in a pinch, was crushed more and more by the tapering anode. At 14 kV and 0.35 Torr, this small device’s maximum simulated X-ray energy with a tapered anode is around 77 mJ.