Design and initial results from a kilojoule level dense plasma focus with hollow anode and cylindrically symmetric gas puff

Ellsworth, J.L.; Falabella, S.; Tang, V.; Schmidt, Andréa; Guethlein, G.; Hawkins, Steven A.; Rusnak, B.

doi:10.1063/1.4859495

Cited by 21 publications

(19 citation statements)

References 23 publications

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“…Deuteron beam energy > 400 keV has been measured from time-of-flight measurements [9]. We have also observed that the optimum pressure for producing energetic deuteron beams is lower than the optimum pressure for maximum neutron yields in the LLNL device.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 89%

“…The device, the neutron diagnostics, the ion beam diagnostic, and the diagnostic calibration details are described in detail in Ref. 9. The data shown for the neutron scaling law comparisons and ion beam measurements were collected using a 2 cm diameter copper anode, hollowed out to a depth of 0.6 cm with an inner diameter of 1.3 cm.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The LLNL device [9] uses a low-inductance 3.16 driver and reaches peak current in just ~400 ns. Fast drivers have been demonstrated to increase yield and therefore might be expected to increase beam energy or total accelerated charge.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Ion beam and neutron output from a sub-kilojoule dense plasma focus

Ellsworth¹,

Falabella²,

Schmidt³

et al. 2014

AIP Conference Proceedings

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Abstract. We are seeking to gain a better fundamental understanding of the ion beam acceleration and neutron production dense plasma focus (DPF) device. Experiments were performed on a kilojoule level, fast rise time DPF located at LLNL. Ion beam spectra and neutron yield were measured for deuterium pinches. Visible light images of the pinch are used to determine the pinch length. In addition, an RF probe was placed just outside the cathode to measure fluctuations in Ez up to 6 GHz, which is within the range of the lower hybrid frequencies. We find these oscillations arise at a characteristic frequency near 4 GHz during the pinch. Comparisons of the neutron yield and ion beam characteristics are presented. The neutron yield is also compared to scaling laws.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 89%

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Ion beam and neutron output from a sub-kilojoule dense plasma focus

Ellsworth¹,

Falabella²,

Schmidt³

et al. 2014

AIP Conference Proceedings

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“…The LLNL dense plasma focus is a table top kJ-scale device 1 . The neutron yield in the experiment is measured with He3-based detectors.…”

Section: The Llnl Dense Plasma Focusmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effect of driver impedance on dense plasma focus Z-pinch neutron yield

Sears

Link

Schmidt

et al. 2014

AIP Conference Proceedings

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“…In particular, we are interested in whether the gradients set up inside a DPF could be used to accelerate an injected beam. Here we report on our first set of experiments injecting a 4 MeV deuteron probe beam into a 4 kJ (maximum) DPF [2] during the pinch phase. We also report results from supporting kinetic simulations [3], which predict the spatial and energy distribution of beam that has passed through the pinch region.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ion probe beam experiments and kinetic modeling in a dense plasma focus Z-pinch

Schmidt¹,

Ellsworth²,

Falabella³

et al. 2014

AIP Conference Proceedings

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Abstract. The Z-pinch phase of a dense plasma focus (DPF) emits multiple-MeV ions in a ~cm length. The mechanisms through which these physically simple devices generate such high energy beams in a relatively short distance are not fully understood. We are exploring the origins of these large gradients using measurements of an ion probe beam injected into a DPF during the pinch phase and the first kinetic simulations of a DPF Z-pinch. To probe the accelerating fields in our table top experiment, we inject a 4 MeV deuteron beam along the z-axis and then sample the beam energy distribution after it passes through the pinch region. Using this technique, we have directly measured for the first time the acceleration of an injected ion beam. Our particle-in-cell simulations have been benchmarked on both a kJ-scale DPF and a MJ-scale DPF. They have reproduced experimentally measured neutron yields as well as ion beams and EM oscillations which fluid simulations do not exhibit. Direct comparisons between the experiment and simulations enhance our understanding of these plasmas and provide predictive design capability for accelerator and neutron source applications.

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Design and initial results from a kilojoule level dense plasma focus with hollow anode and cylindrically symmetric gas puff

Cited by 21 publications

References 23 publications

Ion beam and neutron output from a sub-kilojoule dense plasma focus

Ion beam and neutron output from a sub-kilojoule dense plasma focus

Effect of driver impedance on dense plasma focus Z-pinch neutron yield

Ion probe beam experiments and kinetic modeling in a dense plasma focus Z-pinch

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