Measurement of the deuterium liner characteristics in the inverse Z-pinch configuration

This work is a part of a continuing research on measuring dd-reaction cross sections in keV energy range using accelerated ion flow in the liner of the Z-pinch generator. The knowledge of the ions energy distribution in the accelerated liner is crucially important for cross section calculation. Diagnostics and the first results on the energy distribution of the liner ions accelerated outward in the inverse Z-pinch geometry are described. Experiments were fulfilled in HCEI (Tomsk, Russia) at nanosecond pulsed Z-pinch generator of 1 MA, 50 ns pulse. The hollow deuterium liner of 25 mm length was accelerated outward starting from the initial radius of ∼ 30 mm. The spatially and time resolved liner dynamics and its radiation were measured with the set of B-dot probes, placed at various radii, and via registering H _αand H _β deuterium lines. The neutron time-of-flight (TOF) data and integral neutron yields from the dd-reactions were collected on a shot to shot base, using scintillation spectrometers and ³He counters. The analysis of the data substantiates the promise of using spectral diagnostics in combination with conventional magnetic and integral eutron yield and TOF data for measuring liner dynamics and ion energy distribution in the keV energy range.