Determining thermodynamic parameters of aluminum X-pinch plasma

Experiments on a compact pulsed power generator with an amplitude of 200 kA and a 180-ns front width loaded on an X-pinch consisting of four aluminum wires with a diameter of 35 μm have been carried out. Experimental data and the results of calculations performed in the framework of an impact-radiation model have been used to determine parameters (temperature, density, linear mass) of the X-pinch hot spot at the moment of maximum compression. It is established that (i) a pulse of soft X-ray emission from the X-pinch is generated upon almost complete ejection of substance from the hot spot and (ii) hot-spot formation in the X-pinch proceeds under conditions close to the Bennett equilibrium.