Plasma x-ray sources powered by megajoule magnetocumulative generators

We have performed experiments using magnetocumulative generators (MCGs) to power three different types of high-energy-density plasma discharges suitable for intense x-ray generation. They include the H-pressed discharge, the capillary z-pinch, and the θ-pinch. The MCGs were operated with, and without, plasma opening switches. The characteristic currents were approximately 10 MA and characteristic time scales approximately 1 µs. In this paper we describe the characteristics of these experiments.