Ultradense reproducible Z-pinch suitable for CO2 laser-pellet simulation experiments.

The design and operating characteristics of a unique reproducible linear, high-density (> 10(19) e(-)/cm(3)), low-temperature (17<T(e)<30 eV) helium Z-pinch are presented in this paper. It is shown that the temperature and critical density scale length (70-200 microm) of the pinched plasma are favorable for simulating CO(2) laser-pellet experiments. Focused CO(2) laser intensities of 10(12) W/cm(2) result in v(0)/v(th) approximately equal to 2.8 at the critical layer, where v(0) is the quiver velocity of an electron in the laser electric field and v(th) is the electron thermal velocity.