Compact hard x-ray flash radiography device based on wire-shorted low-impedance rod pinch diode

Area of Science:

• Physics
• Engineering
• Materials Science

Background:

• Rod Pinch Diodes (RPDs) are effective for generating high-brightness, compact hard X-ray sources.
• Developing compact, efficient drivers is crucial for advancing RPD technology.

Purpose of the Study:

• To demonstrate the radiography performance of a wire-shorted low-impedance RPD.
• To evaluate the capabilities of a novel, compactly designed table-top driver (WRPD-1) for X-ray generation.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a WRPD-1 driver with four parallel high-power discharge branches for synchronous triggering.
• Employed a low-impedance RPD shorted by an 18-µm aluminum wire.
• Analyzed X-ray performance including focal spot size, pulse duration, imaging resolution, and energy spectrum.

Main Results:

• Achieved a quasi-spherical X-ray focal spot with a diameter <0.6 mm.
• Obtained an X-ray pulse duration of approximately 25 ns (half-width).
• Demonstrated imaging resolution exceeding 10 lp/mm at 1.56× magnification, with average emitted photon energy around 30 keV.

Conclusions:

• The WRPD-1 system effectively generates high-quality hard X-rays using a wire-shorted RPD.
• The demonstrated performance makes the device suitable for flash radiography and dynamic X-ray diffraction applications.