Wire array z-pinch experiment on inductive energy storage generator ASO-X

Wire-array z-pinch experiment was carried out on ASO-X generator. ASO-X is a 3-stage inductive voltage adder, and works as the inductive energy storage system with the plasma opening switch. The array diameter was 3 cm, and had 36 tungsten wires of 20 µm in diameter and 1 cm long. Taking time-resolved pictures of imploding plasma and observing x-ray signals, it was investigated that how the wire-array implodes for the different current rise times. For the x-ray diagnostics, the X-ray diode (XRD) and the diamond detector were used. When the current rise time is slow, the peaks of XRD and diamond detector were observed at the different time. In the time-resolved picture, the implosion of precursor plasma was observed followed by the main implosion. The strong kink instability was observed when the pinched plasma was completely created. When the current rise time is fast, no kink instability was observed. However, the implosion did not fully cover between the electrodes. The diamond detector did not detect the x-ray, although the XRD detected.