Table-top X-pinch for x-ray radiography.

Measurements of the optical and x-ray emission from a small 40-kA, 30-ns (10%-90%) rise-time X-pinch plasma discharge are reported. This device is truly "table-top," having a laboratory footprint of less than 1 m[SUP2]. With tungsten wires, the total energy (hν>800 eV) is 60 mJ in a pulse of less than 10 ns. The size of the emitting region is less than 10 μm. The emission is reproducible with a jitter relative to the current pulse less than 5 ns. Initial experiments demonstrating the use of this X-pinch for applications in x-ray radiography are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]