The paper is aimed at optimization of parameters of a copper plasma jet produced at the DPF-1000U device, in which the inner electrode face was conically shaped. Preliminary information was obtained by numerical simulations of the plasma jet creation for different copper cones with the use of the two-dimensional magneto-hydrodynamic code KAROL. The simulations suggested that the cone height in the range of 4–7 cm should ensure a good plasma jet quality. The experimental data delivered by means of a 16-frame laser interferometer and a four-frame X-ray pinhole camera fully confirmed this conclusion. In the paper, we demonstrate the results for a 5 cm height cone. The eroded Cu plasma, swept up by the deuterium plasma sheath, was accelerated axially and compressed to very small diameter (3 mm) with an electron density of 7 × 1018 cm−3. The Cu plasma jet achieved a velocity of 5 × 107 cm/s and reached in the period of about 230 ns a distance (length) of 7 cm. The above results prove a successful adaptation of the plasma focus device to the metallic plasma jet generator.

Plasma focus is one type of ion source with energy up to few MeV. While some efforts have been made to understand the physics of ion beam acceleration in plasma focus devices (PFD), an acceptable clarification does not exist yet. In this work, the procedure of ions) electrons) acceleration in PFDs to the MeV energy is investigated theoretically. Moreover, the trajectory of electrons (ions) and their angular distribution are studied. The simulations are carried out by COMSOL Multiphysics version 5.2 for a 4.5 kJ Mather type PFD. The results of simulations and calculations show that trapped ions in the negative potential of electrons, their movement toward the top of the anode and the drift motion due to electrical and magnetic fields near the top of the anode are the main causes of high energy electrons (ions) production and acceleration.

This paper aims at a test of a plasma focus (PF) device as a metallic plasma jet generator. The experiment was carried out at the DPF-1000U device in which the inner electrode face was conically shaped. Deuterium (D2) with the initial pressure of 0.9 Torr was used as a filling gas. In the experiment, a metallic plasma was ensured due to erosion of the inner electrode during a PF discharge. To create the metallic plasma jet, the eroded copper (Cu) plasma, swept by the deuterium plasma sheath, was accelerated axially and compressed to very small radius (about 1–2 mm). The Cu plasma jet achieved a velocity of 3 × 107 cm/s. To study processes of the plasma jet creation and propagation a 16-frame laser interferometer and a four-frame X-ray pinhole camera were used. Recorded images prove a successful adaptation of the PF device to the metallic plasma jet generator.