Influence of gap length on the gas-puff z-pinch plasma produced by an inductive pulsed power system

In this study, an argon gas-puff z-pinch plasma was produced by an inductive pulsed power system. The gap length dependence of plasma characteristics such as the pinch plasma behavior, soft x-ray emissions, and spatial distribution of hot spots, was investigated. The soft x-ray output decreased with gap length, and hot spots generated by sausage instability were distributed along the z-axis for shorter delay times of the discharge onset. However, hot spots were distributed in the center of the gap space with increased delay times, regardless of the gap length, and the number of hot spots decreased.