Sustained Neutrons Production from a Sheared-Flow Stablizied Z-Pinch

The sheared-flow stabilized Z-pinch has demonstrated long-lived plasmas with fusion-relevant plasma parameters. Experimental demonstration of sustained neutron production from the Fusion Z-pinch Experiments (FuZE) at the University of Washington, operated with a 20% deuterium mixture, has been reported. Neutron emissions lasting ~5 us are reproducibly observed with peak pinch currents of ~200 kA. The lower limit on the yield is estimated to be 10 ⁶ neutrons/pulse. Coincident with peak neutron signal, plasma temperatures of 2 keV, and densities of 10 ¹⁷ cm-3 with 3 mm radii are measured with fully integrated diagnostics. Details of the experiment setup, diagnostics, and experimental results will be presented.