  MagLIF is a fairly new fusion concept using a puled-power generator as the
main driver. This concept uses a Z-pinch configuration where the implosion is
driven by the Z-machine using 27 MA of electrical current in 100 ns. Since the
implosion time is long compared to the heat diffusion time of a non-magnetized
plasma, MagLIF requires an initial axial magnetic of 30T to reduce heat losses
to the liner wall. Since the field needs to penetrate the transmission lines of
the pulsed-power generator, as well as the liner itself, the rise time must
exceed tens of microseconds. Any coil capable of producing such field on that
long a pulse-length is inevitably bulky. The space required to house the coil
near the liner increase the inductance of the load, which becomes problematic
since the voltage at the load cannot exceed what the driver can already
provide. Yet, the enormous amount of current that the Z-machine can provide
could be used to produce the required 30 T by tilting the current posts
surrounding the liner. However, the field penetration is limited by the skin
effect of the liner wall. This paper shows that when current densities are
large enough, the material generate resistivity gradients which forces the
current to diffusive across the liner wall much fast than the skin time. As a
result, the 30T coil can be eliminated and replaced by return current posts
with minimal helicity.
