A dense plasma focus device is disclosed as having an anode with a non-constant radius and a cathode coupled to the anode, the cathode also having a non-constant radius. The anode and/or the cathode may be tapered. In addition, a ratio of the non-constant radius of the anode and the non-constant radius of the cathode may be held constant along the length of the dense plasma focus device in order to maintain constant inductance. Alternatively, the inductance may be varied by varying the ratio of the anode and cathode radii along the length of the dense plasma focus device.