Investigation of high-temperature bright plasma X-ray sources produced in 5-MA X-pinch experiments.

Using solid, machined X-pinch targets driven by currents rising from 0 to 5-6 MA in 60 ns, we observed bright spots of 5-9-keV continuum radiation from 5±2-µm diameter regions. The >6-keV radiation is emitted in about 0.4 ns, and the bright spots are roughly 75 times brighter than the bright spots measured at 1 MA. A total x-ray power of 10 TW peak and yields of 165±20 kJ were emitted from a 3-mm height. The 3-5-keV continuum radiation had a 50-90-GW peak power and 0.15-0.35-kJ yield. The continuum is plausibly from a 1275±75-eV blackbody or alternatively from a 3500±500-eV bremsstrahlung source.