Potentiality of a table top plasma focus as X-ray source: Radiographic applications

Images radiographic testing on different elements both in biological and inorganic samples are obtained using the X- ray radiation coming from a small plasma focus of at least 350J (880 nF, 40 nH, 28kV, T/4 similar to 300ns). The experimental device is operated using hydrogen as filling gas in a discharge region limited by a volume of around 70 cm(3). The X-ray radiation is monitored shot by shot by means of a scintillator-photomultiplier system located outside of the vacuum chamber at 2.3m far away from the emission region. Angular distribution measurements of the accumulated X-ray dose are carried out using TLD-100 dosimeters which are radially distributed around the emission region center. There are two different arrays for the dosimeter which are placed in two different radial positions outside the discharge chamber. In each array, the TLDs dosimeters are uniformly located and distributed respect to the symmetry axis of the plasma column. An estimation of the energy spectrum of X-ray by means of the filters techniques is presented. The potential of this table top plasma focus is discussed according to its size, the quality of the radiographies, the effective equivalent energy and the dosimetric characteristics.