I grew up imagining what a real laboratory would be like, whether it could live up to how it appeared in the movies.  I was stunned to find that not only is it more impressive, but the thrill grows every day, with each and every finding.  My field of interest is high energy and density (HED) plasma physics, diagnostics, and applications. The specific HED source that my group and I are studying is called the fast Z-Pinch.

    The Z-Pinch technique creates hot, dense plasmas by passing a fast rising (100ns) current pulse through a conducting load such as an array of fine wires. The current evaporates and ionizes the load and the Lorentz force gathers the resulting plasma to the axis of discharge, the z-axis. Eventually, this force is concentrated directly on the plasma at the z-axis causing a very high degree of compression, the pinch. An excellent source of x-ray radiation, this pinch has shown potential for direct application to inertial confinement fusion (ICF) studies.

    There are very specific requirements for achieving positive output ICF, which demand a high level of control over the radiation output. The loads used in the Z-Pinch generator have proven to be the most viable parameter in controlling this output. My research group studies the relationship between radiation output and load parameters. 

    The most common load used in ICF studies is the cylindrical wire array. The wires here are strung between the anode and cathode of the generator in a circle around the axis of the anode.  My team, though, recently introduced a new load called the planar wire array.  This configuration has the wires strung parallel from anode to cathode in either a single row or two parallel rows. This load configuration proved itself valuable from the first shot, has continued to be a source of new interest, and is rapidly gaining popularity.

    My group is one part of an informal, symbiotic team of research groups.  HED Z-Pinch plasmas are such complex objects that one group alone could not simultaneously obtain quality data, develop theories, and maintain a productive direction as well as a team can; this gives our team a powerful advantage.  Our team includes the experimental groups, which provide accurate images, spectra, various electronic signals, and preliminary analysis on several different Z-Pinch generators; the atomic physics group analyzes the spectra, which provides the team with the only temperature and density data available; and the magnetohydrodynamic modeling group simulates the pinch and produces theories for improvement.

    The Fast Z-Pinch has tremendous potential for the achievement of viable fusion energy production. My work in this field has contributed to the development of the innovative planar wire configuration. There can be no greater satisfaction to me now than the fact that my own contribution has already made a lasting impression so early in my career to Z-Pinch research. The future of ICF research holds a great deal of opportunity for the advancement of science and technology with far reaching benefits for the human race.