X radiation from high-energy-density exploded-wire discharges

Exploded-wire discharges of tungsten and titanium driven by a high-power pulse generator have been used to produce intense x-ray continuum and line radiation. A calibrated LiF crystal spectrograph recorded the radiation spectrum in the 3- to 25-keV range. More than 20 J of x radiation are emitted in this photon energy band by tungsten plasmas in less than 50 nsec. The source of emission is less than 1 mm in diameter and about 3.5 cm long.