The use of a diffraction grating as a beam expander in a dye laser cavity

The use of a diffraction grating as a dispersive one-dimensional beam expander with variable expansion ratio is described. The idea is applied to intracavity beam expansion in a dye laser cavity containing two gratings in a tandem configuration. By varying the beam expansion ratio up to 60 the laser linewidth may be reduced continously down to 0.1 cm^-1. Linewidth calculations based on single pass estimates are presented and found to agree with experimental results.     

Investigation of the fragmentation of 20Ne and 40Ar ions at the COMBAS setup

Properties of the COMBAS fragment separator are compared with respective properties of similar setups. Results of experiments aimed at obtaining products of one-proton-stripping reactions induced by a beam of ⁴⁰Ar ions with an energy of 35 MeV/A and two-neutron-stripping reactions induced by a beam of ²⁰Ne ions with an energy of 52 MeV/A are presented. A high resolution of the fragment separator in obtaining secondary neutron-rich ³⁹Cl and neutron-deficient ¹⁸Ne ion beams is demonstrated.     

Rotating relativistic electron beam-plasma interaction and formation of a field-reversed configuration

Experimental results on interaction of a rotating relativistic electron beam with plasma and neutral gas are presented. The rotating relativistic electron beam has been propagated up to a distance of 150 cm in a plasma. The response of the plasma to the rotating electron beam is found to be of magnetic diffusion type over a plasma density range 10¹¹–10¹³ cm⁻³. Excitation of the axial and azimuthal return currents by the rotating beam and subsequent trapping of the azimuthal return current layer by the magnetic mirror field are observed. A field-reversed configuration has been formed by the rotating relativistic electron beam when injected into neutral hydrogen gas. We have observed field reversal up to three times the initial field in an axial length of 100 cm.     

Measurement of laser light thomson-scattered from a cooling electron beam

First results are presented from an experiment scattering laser light from a relativistic electron beam. The 5 cm diameter continuous electron beam of 28 keV kinetic energy and 2.6 A current presents an electron gas of a density of 8×10⁷ cm^–3, from which 20 ns pulses of laser light (490 nm) were scattered at a repetition rate of 15 Hz and an average power of 20 mJ per pulse. The Doppler-shifted wavelength of photons backscattered under 180° was analysed with a Fabry-Perot interferometer. This technique provides, for the first time, a non-destructive measurement of the velocity distribution in an electron beam radially resolved in space. The results presented here comprise the direct measurement of the absolute electron energy and the degree of space-charge compensation in the electron beam. The determination of an upper bound of 10^–2 for the ratio of longitudinal to transverse electron temperature implies the first direct measurement of a flattened velocity distribution.     

Exposure of nuclear track emulsion to a mixed beam of relativistic 12N, 10C, and 7Be nuclei

A nuclear track emulsion was exposed to a mixed beam of relativistic ¹²N, ¹⁰C, and ⁷Be nuclei having a momentum of 2 GeV/c per nucleon. The beam was formed upon charge exchange processes involving ¹²C primary nuclei and their fragmentation. An analysis indicates that ¹⁰C nuclei are dominant in the beam and that ¹²N nuclei are present in it. The charge topology of relativistic fragments in the coherent dissociation of these nuclei is presented.     

A superhigh energy particle detector based on using the radiation of a particle in a laminar medium

Experimental results for two types of detectors, that use resonance radiation of electrons with energies of 2.8 and 3.7 GeV in a laminar medium are presented. The detectors are tested in an experiment in selecting electrons from a π⁻-meson beam; about 50% efficiency is achieved.     

Experimental and computational study of the passage of an electron beam through the curvilinear element of the Drakon stellarator system in a tenuous plasma

Results are presented from the first stage of studies on the passage of an electron beam with energy 100–500 eV in a magnetic field of 300–700 Oe through the curvilinear solenoid of the KRéL unit, the latter being a prototype of the closing segment of the Drakon stellarator system, in the plasma-beam discharge regime. The ion density at the end of the curvilinear part of the chamber, n _i ≈8×10⁸–10¹⁰ cm⁻³, the electron temperature T _e ≈4–15 eV, and the positions at which the beam hits the target for different distances from it to the electron source are determined experimentally. The motion of the electron beam is computationally modeled with allowance for the space charge created by the beam and the secondary plasma. From a comparison of the experimentally measured trajectories and trajectories calculated for different values of the space charge, we have obtained an estimate for the unneutralized ion density of the order of 5×10⁷ cm⁻³. Zh. Tekh. Fiz. 69, 22–26 (February 1999)     

Beam propagation of a higher-order cosh-Gaussian beam

On the basis of the second-order moment, the beam propagation of a higher-order cosh-Gaussian beam has been investigated. Two analytical expressions of the M² factor have been derived, which corresponds to the parity of the beam order n. The M² factor is determined by the beam order n and the parameter δ. The influences of the beam order n and the parameter δ on the M² factor are illustrated with numerical examples. The analytical kurtosis parameter has also been presented. The analytical formula is further simplified in the source plane and the far field, respectively. With given appropriate values of n and δ, the kurtosis parameter in the far field is smaller than 3. This research is helpful to the practical applications of a higher-order cosh-Gaussian beam.     

Production of intensities of ∼ 1019 W/cm2 by a table-top KrF laser

We report on the generation of intensities of 10¹⁹ W/cm^–2 by focusing the output beam of a table-top hybrid dye-excimer laser system operating at 248 nm. The laser system uses a pulsed dye laser and a single, commercially available excimer gain module. Considerations and optical arrangements for the optimization of the phase-front and the beam homogeneity of ultraviolet excimer amplifiers are presented.Prof. F.P. Schäfer on the occasion of his 65th birthday.     

On shock initiation in brisant explosives by a high-current electron beam

The feasibility of shock initiation in thin pentaerythritol tetranitrate (PETN) single crystals under the action of a pulsed high-current electron beam (0.25 MeV, 20 ns, 15 J/cm²) is shown experimentally. The real-time dynamic characteristics of crystal glow arising under the action of the electron beam and glow due to subsequent shock-wave-induced transformations are presented. A shock wave results from beam energy absorption and initiation of an exothermal chemical reaction in the irradiated layer.     

Testing of a cryogenic source of slow monochromatic positrons

The results of testing a cryogenic source of slow monochromatic positrons based on the ²²Na isotope, designed and constructed at JINR, are presented. A solid neon moderator was used to generate a monochromatic beam from the continuous β⁺ spectrum of 0–0.5 MeV, with solid neon being frozen to the base layer, which is cooled to the temperature of 5–7 K. Test source of the ²²Na isotope allows the forming of a slow positron beam of intensity 5.8 × 10³ part./s and the average energy 1.2 eV at a spectrum width of 1 eV. The efficiency of moderation is 1% of the total positron flux.     

Low-energy nuclear reactions in crystal structures

Results of studying low-energy nuclear reactions at the HELIS facility (LPI) are presented. Investigations of yields from DD reactions in deuterated crystal structures at deuteron energies of 10 to 25 keV show a considerable enhancement effect. It is shown that exposure of the deuterated targets to the Н⁺ (proton) and Ne⁺ beams with energies from 10 to 25 keV and an X-ray beam with the energy of 20 to 30 keV stimulates DD reaction yields. For the CVD diamond target, it is shown that its orientation with respect to the deuteron beam affects the neutron yield. The D⁺ beam is shown to cause much higher heat release in the TiD_x target than the Н⁺ and Ne⁺ beams, and this heat release depends on the deuterium concentration in the target and the current density of the deuteron beam.     

Role of shock waves in initiating the detonation of pentaerythritol tetranitrate by a pulsed electron beam

The results of measurements of the velocity of shock waves generated in pressed pentaerythritol tetranitrate samples by a pulsed electron beam (0.25 MeV, 15 J/cm², and 20 ns) and of the velocity of expansion of the explosion products into vacuum are presented. It was demonstrated that, during the interaction of the electron beam with pentaerythritol tetranitrate, it experiences decomposition accompanied by a pressure rise high enough to produce a shock-wave initiation of the sample.     

Measurement of the production of charged pions by protons on a tantalum target

A measurement of the double-differential cross-section for the production of charged pions in proton–tantalum collisions emitted at large angles from the incoming beam direction is presented. The data were taken in 2002 with the HARP detector in the T9 beam line of the CERN PS. The pions were produced by proton beams in a momentum range from 3 GeV/c to 12 GeV/c hitting a tantalum target with a thickness of 5% of a nuclear interaction length. The angular and momentum range covered by the experiment (100 MeV/c ≤p< 800 MeV/c and 0.35 rad ≤θ< 2.15 rad) is of particular importance for the design of a neutrino factory. The produced particles were detected using a small-radius cylindrical time projection chamber (TPC) placed in a solenoidal magnet. Track recognition, momentum determination and particle identification were all performed based on the measurements made with the TPC. An elaborate system of detectors in the beam line ensured the identification of the incident particles. Results are shown for the double-differential cross-sections d²σ/dpdθ at four incident proton beam momenta (3 GeV/c, 5 GeV/c, 8 GeV/c and 12 GeV/c). In addition, the pion yields within the acceptance of typical neutrino factory designs are shown as a function of beam momentum. The measurement of these yields within a single experiment eliminates most systematic errors in the comparison between rates at different beam momenta and between positive and negative pion production. PACS 13.75.Cs; 13.85.Ni     

Analysis of propagation of a high-current electron beam from a sectioned plasma-filled diode

We report on the results of analysis of propagation of an electron beam from a plasma-filled diode in the absence of the metal anode between the regions of beam generation and transportation. The diode parameters are 160 kA, 400 kV, and 50 GW. At a distance exceeding 10 cm behind the generation region, a beam current of 100 kA to the target and an energy density of 20 J/cm² are attained for the beam cross-sectional area of about 200 cm². The possibility of varying the beam current and energy density by changing the distance to the target is demonstrated.     

Booster-Nuclotron beam line for NICA project

This paper presents the concept of the booster-Nuclotron beam line for the Nuclotron-based Ion Collider fAcility (NICA) accelerator complex being developed at the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research (Dubna, Russia). The beam line serves for ion beam transportation and stripping at an intermediate energy. The magnetic system of the beam line is considered. The results of a simulation of gold Au³²⁺/Au⁷⁹⁺ ion beam dynamics in the beam line are presented.     

Focusing of a vortex carrying beam with Gaussian background by a lens in the presence of spherical aberration and defocusing

Diffraction pattern formed by a lens for a vortex containing truncated beam with Gaussian background, and in the presence of spherical aberration and defocusing has been studied by Fresnel–Kirchhoff diffraction integral. For the study, two different values of topological charge are selected. Compensation of aberration in the presence of appropriate value of defocusing is investigated. Presence of spherical aberration results in an increase in the size of the dark core of the diffraction pattern. Results are also presented for the encircled energy. Some results are also presented for the influence of truncation parameter of the beam, on the point spread function at different observation planes.     

Design of Cavities for a Short Pulse Powerful Large Orbit Gyrotron

Designs of cavities for fundamental and high harmonic operation in Large Orbit Gyrotron (LOG) are discussed. The fundamental operation allows one to use beam currents in the range from 200 A to 300 A achieve output power of the order of 9–10 MW at frequency 143.6 GHz. Mode competition calculations show that stable oscillations in the TE^1,4 mode using high beam currents are possible even with the pitch factor 1.3 which is significantly lower than the design value 1.55. For the second harmonic operation, the maximum current used for excitation of the TE^2,4 mode is 60 A and the optimum magnetic field is 7.6 T. A cavity design for fourth harmonic operation using the TE^4,4 mode is also presented.     

Spectral beam combining of fiber lasers based on a transmitting volume Bragg grating

Based on the principle of spectral beam combining using a transmitting volume Bragg grating, a simple experimental setup was designed, in which an approach to control the incidence angles of beams using a focusing lens is presented. The experimental results for the spectral beam combining of two fiber lasers are reported. The gain media used in this experiment were large-mode area Er³⁺/Yb³⁺ co-doped double-clad fibers, pumped by semiconductor lasers. The output powers of the two fiber lasers were 0.39 and 0.53 W, respectively. With a grating diffraction efficiency of about 60%, a maximum combined power of 0.64 W with an absolute combining efficiency of about 69.6% was achieved.