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Physics of Plasmas / Volume 19 / Issue 3 / ARTICLES / Inertially Confined Plasmas, High Energy Density Plasma Science, Warm Dense Matter

Phys. Plasmas 19, 032704 (2012); http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.3694746 (8 pages)

Fusion reactions from >150 keV ions in a dense plasma focus plasmoid

Eric J. Lerner, S. Krupakar Murali, Derek Shannon, Aaron M. Blake, and Fred Van Roessel

Lawrenceville Plasma Physics, 128 Lincoln Blvd., Middlesex, New Jersey 08846-1022, USA

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(Received 23 December 2011; accepted 25 February 2012; published online 23 March 2012)

Using a dense plasma focus device with a 50 kJ capacitor charge, we have observed fusion reactions from deuterium ions with record energies of >150 keV, which are confined for durations of 7–30 ns in the cores of plasmoids with typical radii of 300–500 μm and densities ∼3 × 1019 cm−3. We have for the first time simultaneously imaged the plasmoid at high (30 μm) resolution and measured trapped ion energy and neutron anisotropy. The isotropy of the neutron emission as well as other observations confirms that the observed neutrons per pulse of up to 1.5 × 1011 are produced mainly by confined ions, not an unconfined beam. The conditions achieved are of interest for aneutronic fusion, such as with pB11 fuel.

© 2012 American Institute of Physics

Article Outline

  1. INTRODUCTION
    1. The DPF—background of present work
  2. EXPERIMENTAL APPARATUS
  3. DATA ANALYSIS
    1. Time-of-flight data
    2. Neutron energy isotropy
    3. Neutron flux anisotropy
    4. Timing of neutron emission and beams
    5. Size and density of confined plasma
  4. DISCUSSION

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KEYWORDS, PACS, and IPC

Keywords

deuterium, plasma focus

PACS

International Patent Classification (IPC)

  • H05H1/02

    Arrangements for confining plasma by electric or magnetic fields; Arrangements for heating plasma

ARTICLE DATA

Digital Object Identifier
http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.3694746

PUBLICATION DATA

ISSN

1070-664X (print)  
1089-7674 (online)

Publisher

$abstract.society.value is a Member of CrossRef American Institute of Physics

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    References

    V. Nardi, W. H. Bostick, J. Feugeas, and W. Prior, Phys. Rev. A 22, 2211 (1980).

    J. S. Brzosko, J. R. Brzosko, B. V. Robouch, and Luigi Ingrosso, Phys. Plasmas 2, 1259 (1995)PHPAEN000002000004001259000001.

    F. J. Goldin, B. T. Meehan, E. C. Hagen, and P. R. Wilkins, Rev. Sci. Instrum. 81, 10E531 (2010)RSINAK00008100001010E531000001.


Figures (6) Tables (3)

Figures (click on thumbnails to view enlargements)

FIG.1
Inverted data output for shot 11012403 from the Near Time of Flight PMT (dashed) and the Far Time of Flight PMT (solid) showing early x-ray peak and later neutron peak. The larger diameter FTF scintillator is more sensitive to neutrons. The timing of the data is shifted to compensate for photon time of flight and cable delays.

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FIG.2
Shot 11012403. PMT output for the NTF at 11 m (dashed blue) and FTF at 17 m (solid red) from the device axis plotted against neutron energy, determined from time-of-flight. The signals are recorded every nanoseconds and averaged over 20 ns. The amplitude of the NTF signal is magnified to match the peak height of the FTF signal. The FWHM of 960 ± 40 keV is a record for any DPF. Note the close agreement of the two signals.

FIG.2 Download High Resolution Image (.zip file) | Export Figure to PowerPoint

FIG.3
Ion energy scales as I2 (upper envelope). Line is a linear fit to points with slope of I2.2.

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FIG.4
Correlation between fusion power and average ion energy. Note correlation above around 40 keV and no correlation below that energy. Error bars omitted for clarity.

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FIG.5
Signals for shot 11101003 from near time of flight PMT (dashed blue), collimated to view only the region around the plasmoid, and VPMT (solid green), located on axis above the anode and shielded by 14 cm of copper and 5 cm of steel. Signals are corrected for light time of flight and cable delays to refer to origin. Note synchronicity of first peaks, showing electron beam generation. Second broad VPMT peak is for neutrons, broadened by scattering and delayed 13 ns by neutron time-of-flight.

FIG.5 Download High Resolution Image (.zip file) | Export Figure to PowerPoint

FIG.6
(a) ICCD image of a plasmoid in shot 11012403. Note the filamentary structure, with nearly horizontal 30-μm radius filaments (arrows) wrapped in a 180-μm coil. Exposure 0.2 ns in visible and near-UV. This is the highest-resolution image of a DPF plasmoid yet obtained. (b) 0.2 ns ICCD image of shot 11100604, with a mean ion energy of 110 keV, also shows an approximately 500-μm radius plasmoid. Note shock wave above the plasmoid (arrows), showing sharp resolution of images.

FIG.6 Download High Resolution Image (.zip file) | Export Figure to PowerPoint

Tables

Table I. Distribution of average ion energies.

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Table II. Correlations of variables on Ei for Ei >40 keV.

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Table III. Neutron flux anisotropy ratio relative to 90°.

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