Diagnostics of ion beam generated from a Mather type plasma focus device

Abstract

Diagnostics of ion beam emission from a 3 kJ Mather-type plasma focus device have been performed for deuterium discharge at low pressure regime. Deuterium plasma focus was found to be optimum at pressure of 0.2 mbar. The energy spectrum and total number of ions per shot from the pulsed ion beam are determined by using biased ion collectors, Faraday cup, and solid state nuclear track detector CR-39. Average energy of the ion beam obtained is about 60 keV. Total number of the ions has been determined to be in the order of 10 11 per shot. Solid state nuclear track detectors (SSNTD) CR39 are employed to measure the particles at all angular direction from end on (0˚) to side on (90˚). Particle tracks are registered by SSNTD at 30˚ to 90˚, except the one at the end-on 0 ˚.

Time-resolved characteristics of deuteron-beam generated by plasma focus discharge

“…Substantial efforts have been undertaken in investigating ion-beam emission [ 13 – 15 ], with the detailed mechanisms responsible for the emission remaining to be understood. This is due to difficulties in the design of diagnostic techniques and detectors having sufficient temporal and spatial resolution to record the transient nature and wide energy range of the emitted ion-beam.…”