The MAGPIE generator performance and experimental results

In recent years there has been a revival of interest in z-pinches mainly as radiation sources (both X-rays and neutrons), but also for the production of high density plasmas and as an alternative fusion concept. This can be attributed to the advances in pulsed power over the past few decades which has lead to generators capable of delivering MA to z-pinches with rise times of tens of nanoseconds. A terawatt generator, MAGPIE, has been built at Imperial College (UK) to produce and study these plasmas. The generator has been designed specifically to drive currents of 1.5MA in 150ns into a single solid hydrogen fibre and to allow experimental investigations of the plasma produced. This paper concentrates on the construction of the generator and its performance during commissioning