The linear-plasma flash X-ray generator consists of a high-voltage power supply, a 200-nF high-voltage condenser, a turbomolecular pump, a Krytron-trigger-pulse generator, and a demountable flash X-ray tube. In the plasma flash X-ray generator, the condenser is charged up to 50 kV by the power supply, and flash X-rays are produced by the vacuum discharging. The X-ray tube is a demountable triode with a rod-shaped nickel (Ni) target and a trigger electrode, and the turbomolecular pump evacuates air from the tube with a pressure of approximately 1 mPa. The Ni-target evaporation leads to the formation of weakly ionized linear plasma, consisting of nickel ions and electrons around the target. Subsequently, Zn-K photons are then produced from the Zn reflector behind the target and are absorbed by the linear Ni plasma. The Zn-K-photons are converted into Ni fluorescence, and a great many Ni-K photons are irradiated from the plasma axial direction.

Department of Physics, Iwate Medical University, Japan