Characterization of fast deuterons involved in the production of fusion neutrons in a dense plasma focus

Kubeš, P.; Paduch, M.; Sadowski, M.; Cikhardt, J.; Cikhardtová, B.; Klír, D.; Kravárik, J.; Munzar, V.; Řezáč, K.; Zielinska, E.; Składnik‐Sadowska, E.; Szymaszek, A.; Tomaszewski, K.; Zaloga, D.

doi:10.1063/1.5012021

Cited by 10 publications

(17 citation statements)

References 23 publications

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“…Successive studies concerned the characterization of fast deuterons involved in the production of fusion neutrons within the PF-1000 facility operated at 250-kJ level [101]. In that experiment the use was made of the laser interferometer and a set of ion pinhole cameras, equipped with filtered nuclear track detectors, and oriented at different angles to the z-axis.…”

Section: Figure 12mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Fast deuteron emission recorded by ion pinhole cameras is reviewed in detail in Section 2.3.1. Two recent papers on PF-1000 [101,105] are summarized in this section, because they report certain conclusions derived with inputs from interferometric diagnostics. Both reports have used ion pinhole cameras with PM 355 SSNTDs filtered with Al foils of different thicknesses.…”

Section: E Ionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Update on the Scientific Status of the Plasma Focus

Auluck

Kubeš

Paduch

et al. 2021

Plasma

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This paper is a sequel to the 1998 review paper “Scientific status of the Dense Plasma Focus” with 16 authors belonging to 16 nations, whose initiative led to the establishment of the International Center for Dense Magnetized Plasmas (ICDMP) in the year 2000. Its focus is on understanding the principal defining characteristic features of the plasma focus in the light of the developments that have taken place in the last 20 years, in terms of new facilities, diagnostics, models, and insights. Although it is too soon to proclaim with certainty what the plasma focus phenomenon is, the results available to date conclusively indicate what it is demonstrably not. The review looks at the experimental data, cross-correlated across multiple diagnostics and multiple devices, to delineate the contours of an emerging narrative that is fascinatingly different from the standard narrative, which has guided the consensus in the plasma focus community for several decades, without invalidating it. It raises a question mark over the Fundamental Premise of Controlled Fusion Research, namely, that any fusion reaction having the character of a beam-target process must necessarily be more inefficient than a thermonuclear process with a confined thermal plasma at a suitably high temperature. Open questions that need attention of researchers are highlighted. A future course of action is suggested that individual plasma focus laboratories could adopt in order to positively influence the future growth of research in this field, to the general benefit of not only the controlled fusion research community but also the world at large.

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Section: Figure 12mentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: E Ionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Update on the Scientific Status of the Plasma Focus

Auluck

Kubeš

Paduch

et al. 2021

Plasma

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“…Sources of the fast deuterons were investigated by an analysis of the time-integrated deuteron-tracks recorded upon plastic detectors placed inside the ion pinhole cameras, which were located in front of the anode end plate, at angles ranging (0°-60°) to the z-axis. Different filters placed upon the track applied detectors made it possible to select deuterons of different energies, and to estimate their deflections in the magnetic fields [25]. The total neutron yield was measured by means of two calibrated silver-activation counters.…”

Section: Experimental Facilitymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The described behavior could also lead to an interpretation which assumed the existence of a closed current external to the dense column, which shifts the discharge current far from the pinch column. Its magnetic field could also transport the pinching pressure from the discharge current upon the pinch column surface [25].…”

Section: Organized Structures Inside the Pinch Column During The Fusion Neutron Productionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Plasma regions emitting the fast deuterons were investigated by means of ion pinhole cameras equipped with the plastic nuclear-track detectors. It was found that the fast deuterons were emitted mainly from two regions [25]. The first region, located near the pinch center, emitted the fast deuterons at angles ranging from 0°-60°to the z-axis.…”

Section: Organized Structures Inside the Pinch Column During The Fusion Neutron Productionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Evolution of a Pinch Column During the Acceleration of Fast Electrons and Deuterons in a Plasma-Focus Discharge

Kubeš

Paduch

Sadowski

et al. 2019

IEEE Trans. Plasma Sci.

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Plasma in a pinch column, as produced by a plasma-focus discharge at the deuterium filling and the current intensity reaching 1 MA, was investigated at the total neutron yield reaching about 10 10 per discharge. The use was made of neutron diagnostics, laser interferometry, soft X-ray measurements, optical emission spectroscopy, magnetic probes, as well as electron and ion measurements with the temporal, spatial, and energetic resolutions. The detailed studies showed the ordered toroidal, helical, and plasmoidal structures which could contain currents with poloidal and toroidal components and their associated magnetic fields. Their spontaneous transformations were explained by changes in a topology of magnetic field lines due to magnetic reconnections. A nonthermal acceleration of fast electrons and ions (producing hard X-rays and fusion neutrons, respectively) corresponded to: 1) the formation of plasmoids in the pinch column and 2) a decay of pinch constrictions and secondary plasmoids during the evolution of instabilities. A filamentary structure of the current flow could explain the high energy density and fast transformations of the magnetic energy into kinetic energy of electron and ion beams (reaching energy of hundreds of kiloelectronvolt). This paper summarizes the results obtained with the PF-1000 facility in 2009-2017, and describes the internal transformations in a dense plasma column during the evolution of MHD instabilities.

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Features of fast deuterons emitted from plasma focus discharges

et al. 2019

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This paper presents the discussion concerning the characteristics of the fast deuterons which have energy above 30 keV and are recorded during high-current plasma-focus (PF) discharges, by means of PM-355 plastic track-detectors placed inside ion pinhole cameras. The fast deuterons evoke D-D fusion reactions, mainly by a beam-target mechanism. The distribution of the magnetic field, which influences the trajectories of the recorded deuterons, is discussed. It is found that the fast deuterons are produced in various local sources and their motion is strongly influenced by a circular symmetry of the local magnetic field, which increases their radial shift with a decrease in their energy. The sources of these deuterons are probably located inside the plasmoids and in some local regions of the ring-shaped plasma structures. These ring-structures can be formed outside the dense pinch column, up to a radius of 5 cm. Global magnetic fields, associated with the total current flow in the PF discharge, have a weaker influence. The observed radial shift of the recorded fast deuterons is interpreted as a result of their deflection by magnetic fields which have opposite orientations of the azimuthal components, associated with the currents flowing in directions towards and from the applied ion detectors. The local sources of the recorded fast deuterons correspond to filamentary structures, in which the stored magnetic energy (having the local high density) can be released in induced electric fields accelerating the deuterons during the magnetic reconnections.

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Characterization of fast deuterons involved in the production of fusion neutrons in a dense plasma focus

Cited by 10 publications

References 23 publications

Update on the Scientific Status of the Plasma Focus

Update on the Scientific Status of the Plasma Focus

Evolution of a Pinch Column During the Acceleration of Fast Electrons and Deuterons in a Plasma-Focus Discharge

Features of fast deuterons emitted from plasma focus discharges

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