Compact hard x-ray flash radiography device based on wire-shorted low-impedance rod pinch diode.

This article focuses on the design, testing, and radiographic performance of WRPD-1, a compact table-top pulsed power driver coupled with a wire-shorted low-impedance rod pinch diode (RPD) load for generating hard x-ray radiation. WRPD-1, consisting of four parallel fast linear transformer driver (FLTD) bricks arranged in a 2 × 2 configuration, produces a peak current of approximately 325 kA with a 110 ns rise time at ±90 kV charging voltage, driving an RPD load that yields a near-spherical hard x-ray spot under 0.6 mm in size and an average photon energy around 30 keV. The system achieves an imaging resolution exceeding 10 line pairs per millimeter at 1.56× magnification and has demonstrated capability in flash radiography applications, including capturing transient processes such as armature discharge. While the device shows stable electrical performance and high-resolution imaging, variability in radiation dose measurements indicates a need for further optimization of load configuration and experimental stability.