COMPACT X-RAY SOURCE

THE PINCH PLASMA SOFT X-RAY SOURCE IS MUCH SIMPLER AND LESS EXPENSIVE THAN THE LASER PLASMA SOURCE OF EQUIVALENT POWER. PRIOR PINCH PLASMA WORK HAS NOT PAID SUFFICIENT ATTENTION TO THE CRITICAL ROLE OF CIRCUIT INDUCTANCE IN ACHIEVING A SUFFICIENTLY HOT PLASMA, WITH EFFICIENT CONVERSION OF ELECTRICAL TO X-RAY ENERGY. AN APPROACH TO LOW INDUCTANCE COMMUNICATION IS PROPOSED WHICH IS VERY MUCH MORE COMPACT AND LESS EXPENSIVE THAN THE ONLY ALTERNATIVE SCHEME OF MAGNETIC SWITCHING. THE PROPOSED PHASE I WORK WILL CONSIST OF A DEMONSTRATION OF SINGLE PULSE SWITCHING AT THE DESIRED LOW INDUCTANCE AND HIGH CURRENT FOR EFFICIENT KEY X-RAY PRODUCTION. ANTICIPATED BENEFITS: THIS WORK IS EXPECTED TO LEAD TO AN X-RAY SOURCE WHICH IS COMMERCIALLY VERY COMPETITIVE WITH THE SYNCHROTRON FOR X-RAY LITHOGRAHY. IT ALSO HAS APPLICATIONS IN MATERIALS PROCESSING, MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY.