Effect of plasma sheath structure in plasma focus

The development of plasma sheath in the run-down phase and pinch phase in a plasma focus is studied with laser interferometry. The time-resolved interferograms show that the structures of plasma sheaths in the run-down phase are different at low and high pressures of filling gas. This leads to a distinct plasma pattern above the anode. At low pressure the plasma sheath in the run-down phase has clear boundaries, resulting in better compression in the pinch phase and a higher X-ray yield. At high pressure the plasma sheath is turbulent at the back side and become disordered in the pinch phase, giving little or no X-ray emission. The effect of a ceiling, i.e., a metal plate placed above the anode, is investigated. With the ceiling the reproducibility of X-ray emission is much improved     

Space and time resolved electron density and current measurementsin a dense plasma focus Z-pinch

Plasma density and current profiles in a Z-pinch are important parameters to understand the implosion and radiation physics. This paper describes measurements of electron density and current at radii of ⩾200 μm from the axis of a dense plasma focus (DPF) pinch plasma that is imploded by a ≈0.3 MA current pulse. These measurements use laser interferometry and polarimetry. The electromagnetic wave propagating through a current carrying plasma will change its phase, polarization state, and propagation direction. Refraction by electrons bends the wave fronts and changes the propagation direction; Faraday rotation due to the magnetic field and electron density rotates the laser polarization vector. By measuring these quantities simultaneously, the magnetic field and electron density can be separately determined. Although the DPF used here is a low current device, the measured densities (⩽10²⁰ cm^-3) and magnetic fields (~100 T) are similar to values expected just outside higher current but larger radius Z-pinches, so this technique should be applicable there as well. The techniques described here do not require access to the core of the pinch to work; just outside these pinches the coronal density and self-magnetic field are high enough to give reliable data but not so high as to make the measurements difficult     

Filamentary structure of the pinch column in plasma focus discharges

The fine structure of a soft (0.8–3 keV) X-ray emitting zone in a 280 kJ neutron optimized plasma focus is investigated. Distinct continuous filaments are registered during the pinch phase. Time-resolved X-ray measurements show that the filamentation exists to ≈ 20–50 ns after the maximum compression. A comparison of these observations with those performed previously with a 56 kJ plasma focus device is also presented.     

The three-phase theory for plasma focus devices

A simplified theory for preliminary design of plasma focus devices that starts at the breakdown phase is proposed. For best focus, it is shown that the model can be used to predict the values of the inner and outer electrode radius, inner electrode length, gas pressure, and charging voltage that give minimum possible pinch radius. The theoretical results agree with experimental observations. The model shows that of these parameters, inner electrode length, inner and outer electrode radii play a significant role. An optimum pinch radius ratio of 0.05 to 0.40 was realized. Test results show that the focus strength is dependent on the breakdown conditions via the initial and final velocities of the current sheath during the radial collapse phase and the axial rundown phase. The final axial velocity determines the initial inward radial velocity. Results for a test design are presented     

Dynamic model for plasma opening switches

A dynamic model for plasma opening switches is proposed. The basis of the model is the appearance and development of force instabilities (pinch and sausage) in a spatially nonuniform plasma accelerated by a magnetic field as a driver piston. The proposed model does not require the invocation of subtle effects in the pinch collapse phase and makes it possible, without going beyond the framework of magnetohydrodynamics, to explain the principal operating features of plasma opening switches and to obtain quantitative estimates consistent with experiment. Zh. Tekh. Fiz. 69, 25–29 (May 1999)     

Transport barrier inside the reversal surface in the chaotic regime of the reversed-field pinch

Magnetic field lines and the corresponding particle orbits are computed for a typical chaotic magnetic field provided by a magnetohydrodynamics numerical simulation of the reversed-field pinch. The m = 1 modes are phase locked and produce a toroidally localized bulging of the plasma which increases particle transport. The m = 0 and m = 1 modes produce magnetic chaos implying poor confinement. However, they also allow for the formation of magnetic islands which induce transport barriers inside the reversal surface.     

D-D neutron yield in the 125 J dense plasma focus Nanofocus

We present here a very small transportable dense plasma focus with 125 J of energy able to be used mainly as an intense fast neutron source. The aim of this work was to design, construct and experimentally study a very compact nuclear fusion apparatus, at the lower energy limit, useful for multiple applications, such as soil humidity measurements, inspection of several materials metallic inclusions, medical neutron-therapies, etc. Besides, the possibility of using the same device as X-rays emitter has been explored. In a narrow range of deuterium filling pressure around 1 mbar, peaked Rogowski dips are observed. Correspondingly, strong neutron and hard X-ray pulses are measured. The neutron pulses last, in average, 50 ns, being about 10⁶ the amount of neutrons per pulse. The performance of this device has shown to be higher than any other plasma focus apparatus, compar ed on the empirical scaling law of neutron yield vs. pinch current.Received: 29 April 2003, Published online: 5 August 2003PACS: 52.58.Lq Z-pinches, plasma focus and other pinch devices - 52.70.Ds Electric and magnetic measurements - 52.70.Nc Particle measurements     

以巨脉冲红宝石激光为光源的Mach-Zehnder干涉仪应用于θ收缩等离子体的研究

本文应用巨脉冲红宝石激光为光源的Mach-Zehnder干涉仪,研究了23kJ(千焦耳)“θ收缩”(θ-pinch)等离子体的电子密度、形状和不稳定性。从轴向干涉图的照片获得45至120mTorr(毫乇)氘气压范围的二维电子密度分布和电子密度的峰值在6×10¹⁶—2.3×10¹⁷cm^-3范围。等离子体最大收缩出现在主压缩磁场的第一个半周期的1/3附近,在等离子体的最大收缩附近的特征约束时间(粒子数衰减1/e的时间)为1.8—4.3μs,具有负偏磁场的干涉图显示在等离子体中捕获了偏磁场。从这些干涉图的照片上还看到等离子体在主压缩磁场和等离子体捕获场之间作径向磁流体振荡。干涉图照片还表明,在45至80mTorr氘气压范围内,等离子体在主压缩磁场的第一个半周期内基本上都是稳定的。     

Origin of the magnetic confinement force in the homogeneous Z pinch

A reexamination is made of the basic assumptions about magnetic force and magnetic pressure in a pinch. The confinement of a plasma by its own internal magnetic field is analyzed in a cylindrical geometry. It is shown that there are subtle but serious ambiguities in the usual theory, which can be cleared up by elementary arguments. The results which follow lead to an improved understanding of the mechanism responsible for the Z pinch     

Application of microwave reflectometry for plasma density diagnostics in a reversed-field pinch machine

The implementation of reflectometry as a means of measuring plasma density is examined in relation to the reversed-field pinch machine. The effects of magnetic shear and density fluctuations are studied. Ray-tracing and simulation results are presented and the proposed reflectometer system for the RFX reversed-field pinch machine is described.     

Z箍缩内爆过程中的能量转换机制研究

利用一维三温辐射磁流体力学程序对氖气和铝丝阵Z箍缩内爆过程中的能量转换过程进行了详细的数值研究，发现在内爆过程中离子和电子之间的碰撞能量交换是最主要的能量交换过程，其次是电子和光子之间的光电过程和轫致过程，而康普顿散射过程中的能量交换可以忽略不计；辐射出的x射线主要是在光电激发和光电复合过程中产生的，其次是在轫致辐射过程和康普顿散射过程中产生的.理论分析表明，辐射出的x射线能量可以超过，也可能小于其等离子体最大动能.数值模拟结果表明，在氖气Z箍缩中，辐射出的x射线能量没有超过其等离子体最大动能，而在铝丝阵列内爆中，辐射出的x射线能量超过了其等离子体最大动能，但小于磁压所做的功；在整个Z箍缩过程中欧姆加热能量是较小的. 关键词： Z箍缩 能量转换 x射线辐射     

Delayed hot spots in a low energy plasma focus

In a low energy Mather-type plasma focus device, hot spots having temperature in the range of few KeV have been observed even 1 μs after the pinch disintegration and in regions away from the pinch area. These hot spots are perhaps created by the thermal runway due to temperature fluctuations in the background gas.     

Enhancement of soft X-ray emission from a pinch plasma using a rotating plasma for pre-ionization

An experimental study on the enhancement of soft X-ray emission from a pinch plasma has been carried out by using a rotating plasma for pre-ionization. The rotating plasma is produced by a pulsed J×B cross-field discharge between coaxial electrodes, and subjected to a pinch discharge. Under an optimized discharge condition, it has been observed that UV emission of 251.6 nm (Ar III) soft X-ray intensity increases with increasing applied axial magnetic field B. At 400 G, the X-ray intensity is enhanced by a factor of 3 compared to that without the rotating plasma. It is considered that this result is due to the improved characteristics of the pre-ionization rotating plasma, which influences the uniformity and stability of subsequent pinch plasma.     

Modeling of the Dynamic Plasma Pinch in Plasma Focus Discharges Based in Von Karman Approximations

Dynamic plasma pinches occur in a variety of devices, as $Z$ -pinches and plasma focus. In this paper, a lumped parameter model of a dynamic plasma pinch produced in a plasma focus discharge is presented. The model is based in Von Karman approximations of the radial density and velocity profiles, which leads to the reduction to a system of ordinary differential equations describing the dynamic evolution of the pinch compression and expansion. The model was coupled with a fusion kernel to produce an estimate of the neutron yield per pulse. The calculations were tested against available data of the pressure–yield curve of seven experimental devices ranging from 1 to 250 kJ, showing excellent agreement, particularly regarding the curvature of the pressure–yield curve.      

Buoyant magnetic flux tubes enhance radiation in Z pinches

In numerous experiments, magnetic energy coupled to strongly radiating Z-pinch plasmas exceeds the thermalized kinetic energy, sometimes by a factor of 2-3. We demonstrate that the enhanced energy coupling may be due to the buoyancy rise of toroidal magnetic flux tubes converging to the axis through the unstable pinch plasma. We derive an explicit formula for the enhanced dissipation rate and apply this formula to reconsider an old problem of power balance in a steady-state Z pinch, and then to analyze a new challenge of producing K-shell 3 to 10 keV radiation in long-pulse Z-pinch implosions.     

Particle pinch in gyrokinetic simulations of closed field-line systems

Gyrokinetic simulations of small-scale turbulent transport in a closed magnetic field-line plasma geometry are presented. The simulations are potentially applicable to dipolar systems such as the levitated dipole experiment (LDX) [J. Kesner, Plasma Phys. Rep. 23, 742 (1997).] and planetary magnetospheres, as well as simpler systems such as the Z pinch. We report here for the first time the existence of a robust particle (and weaker temperature) pinch regime, in which the particles are transported up the density gradient. The particle pinch is driven by non-MHD entropy-mode turbulence at k(⊥) ρ(i) ～ 1 and particle pinch appears at larger η ≡ L(n)/L(T) ? 0.7, consistent with quasilinear theory. Our results suggest that entropy-mode transport will drive the LDX plasma profiles toward a state with η ～ 0.7 and pressure gradients that are near marginal ideal MHD interchange-mode stability.     

Electromagnetic collapse. Problems of stability,emission of radiation and evolution of a dense pinch

Stability, emission of radiation, and some problems of evolution for pinch systems are considered on the basis of the theory of equilibrium of a plasma with a high current. The analysis of small oscillations in the approximation of two-fluid hydrodynamics of ideal charged liquids shows that the most dangerous instability is the one resulting in the filamentation of a diffuse equilibrium state of the current into separate jets. The criterion of stability for a pinch systems is established. According to this criterion the plasma compressed up to the electron degeneration is stable. The theory of emission of radiation by pinch systems shows a very important role of stimulated synchrotron radiation in the process of evolution of a high-current channel. The experimental properties of high-current pinches find a natural explanation in the theory. Aside from evident practical applications, the electromagnetic selfcompression of plasma in high-current devices provides the unique possibility to create and investigate ultradense matter, huge electric and magnetic fields, and ultrahigh pressures in the Earth laboratory experiments.     

丝阵Z箍缩可见光辐射特性

在阳加速器上进行的Z箍缩实验中,利用快速硅光电二极管、多模光纤和石英滤片搭建了可见光探测系统,并利用该系统对丝阵Z箍缩等离子体内爆可见光辐射特性进行了研究。实验结果显示,可见光辐射在内爆开始时就已经存在,其波形与X射线辐射波形存在差异,在辐射波形的主峰前存在所谓的拐点。分析表明,在内爆滞止前,丝阵Z箍缩中单丝箍缩现象和预箍缩等离子体对可见光辐射贡献很大,而整体内爆开始时单丝附近的局域磁场消失是可见光辐射波形存在拐点的主要原因。     

丝阵Z箍缩可见光辐射特性

在阳加速器上进行的Z箍缩实验中,利用快速硅光电二极管、多模光纤和石英滤片搭建了可见光探测系统,并利用该系统对丝阵Z箍缩等离子体内爆可见光辐射特性进行了研究。实验结果显示,可见光辐射在内爆开始时就已经存在,其波形与X射线辐射波形存在差异,在辐射波形的主峰前存在所谓的拐点。分析表明,在内爆滞止前,丝阵Z箍缩中单丝箍缩现象和预箍缩等离子体对可见光辐射贡献很大,而整体内爆开始时单丝附近的局域磁场消失是可见光辐射波形存在拐点的主要原因。