Pinch production a
Pinch production and types
Pinches are created in the laboratory in equipment related to nuclear fusion, such as the Z-pinch machine, and high-energy physics, such as the dense plasma focus. Pinches may also become unstable,[11] and generate radiation across the electromagnetic spectrum, including radio waves, x-rays[12] and gamma rays,[13] and also neutrons[14] and synchrotron radiation.[15] Types of pinches, that may differ in geometry and operating forces,[16] include the cylindrical pinch, inverse pinch, orthogonal pinch effect, reversed field pinch, sheet pinch, screw pinch[17] (also called stabilized Z-pinch, or θ-z pinch),[18] theta pinch (or thetatron[19]), toroidal pinch, ware pinch[20] and Z-pinch.
Pinches are used to generate X-rays, and the intense magnetic fields generated are used in electromagnetic forming of metals (they have been demonstrated in crushing aluminium soft drinks cans). They have applications to particle beams[21] including particle beam weapons,[22] and astrophysics.
