Compact X-ray radiograph based on a plasma gun

The results of the experiments on the formation of a plasma emitter with small spatial dimensions for pulsed radiography in the soft X-ray spectral range are presented. Emitting hot plasma was formed as a result of compression of the plasma jet by a current pulse with amplitude I _m = 215 kA and rise time T _fr = 200 ns. For the jet formation, we used a plasma gun based on the arc discharge (I _m = 8.5 kA and T _fr = 6 μs) initiated by breakdown over the surface of a dielectric in vacuum. The experiments were carried out with aluminum, tin, copper, and iron plasma jets. A single emitter, i.e., point Z-pinch (PZ-pinch), was formed when an interelectrode gap of a high current generator of 1.3–1.5 mm was used. The smallest spatial dimensions of the emitting region were obtained with the use of aluminum and tin. For a tin jet, the diameter of the emitting region was 7 ± 2 μm and its height was 17 ± 2 μm. The emission pulse duration at half-height was 2–3 ns. The total emission yield per pulse in the spectral range 1.56–1.90 keV was 30–50 mJ for the aluminum pinch and 10–30 mJ for the tin pinch. The developed method makes it possible to carry out radiographic examination of microobjects (including biological ones) 1–1000 μm in thickness, with spatial (10–20 μm) and time (2–3 ns) resolution.     

XUV generation from plasma produced by a XeCl excimer laser on a Cu target

Summary We present a detailed study of XUV and soft X-ray emission from Cu plasma produced by an excimer laser at intensitiesI _L≦8·10¹¹ W/cm². The XeCl excimer laser (ψ≈308 nm) delivers pulses with energyE _L≈2.3 J, temporal durationt _L≈100 ns and brightnessB≧10¹⁴ W/cm² sr. We recorded a spectral conversion efficiency η=0.5% eV⁻¹ forI _L=4·10¹¹W/cm² in the aluminium window at 73eV with a harder X-ray tail around ≈400eV. We also measured the dependence of X-ray signal on laser intensity and viewing angle. Experimental results have been compared with some analytical laser-plasma interaction models.     

10-2～105 Pa气压范围的氦等离子体光谱分析

采用三种实验装置(介质阻挡放电装置、空心阴极放电装置和彭宁放电装置)分别测量了不同压强范围内氦等离子体的发射光谱.通过对氦等离子体发射光谱的分析,已观察到一个共同的特点,就是在三种放电条件下产生的氦等离子体中31P1→21S0的谱线强度总是最强,可以推测亚稳态氦原子的含量相当显著,但不同的装置也有不同的特点,介质阻挡放电装置能够产生准辉光放电,谱线中氦原子的谱线强度很低,而空心阴极放电与彭宁放电装置能够产生稳定均匀的等离子体,且发射足够强的光辐射.我们已对所拍摄的光谱的谱线都进行了辨认,所有结果表明原子发射光谱分析法是研究不同条件下氦等离子体状态的一种十分有效的手段.     

Z箍缩等离子体X射线凸晶谱仪

 针对波长为0.3~0.5 nm的喷气箍缩等离子体X射线诊断,研制了一种适用的高空间分辨的晶体谱仪。色散元件采用云母（002）凸面晶体,布拉格角为37°,信号采用X射线胶片进行接收,有效接收面积为30 mm×80 mm。物理实验在“阳”加速器装置上进行,胶片获得了氩喷气K,L壳层光谱信号,其光谱范围较宽,为0.31~0.40 nm。经解谱发现,类氦谱线有明显的基底,用最小二乘法拟合包络曲线去噪处理后,得到类氦谱线光谱分辨力为200~300。实验结果表明,该谱仪获得的X射线测量值与理论值相符,适合喷气箍缩等离子体X射线光谱的诊断。     

Role of the wall ablation in the operation of a 46.9 nmAr capillary discharge soft x‐ray laser

A capillary discharge pumped soft x‐ray laser operating at 46.9 nm on the 3p–3s transition of the Ne‐like Ar has been realized by pumping the active medium with a relatively slow current pulse (dI/dt ≈ 6 · 10¹¹ A/s). In order to study the role of the ablation in the production of the laser effect, the intensity of the amplified 46.9 nm line has been investigated using the same pumping current pulses in the plastic (polyacetal) and ceramic (Al₂O₃). We showed that the ablation of the capillary walls is unfavorable both for the compression and stability of the plasma and consequently for the soft x‐ray laser production. The amplification and lasing effects are observed only in the ceramic channel. The measurements of the line intensity at 46.9 nm showed the lasing with a gain‐length product of ≈ 9, a laser pulse energy of ≈ 5 μJ, a pulse duration of 1.3 ns and a beam divergence of ≈ 3.5 mrad. In addition, effect of the scaling of the time of lasing with the initial plasma diameter was demonstrated experimentally and compared with a one‐dimensional MHD model.     

潘宁型放电等离子体的发射光谱分析

重新设计了潘宁型等离子体源实验装置,在低气压下得到了稳定的等离子体.分析了等离子体的发射光谱,得到了等离子体光谱强度与放电气压和放电电压之间的关系,并且对氮气的发射光谱进行了分析.     

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     

The filling of neutron star magnetospheres with plasma: Dynamics of the motion of electrons and positrons

We consider the motion of charged particles in the vacuum magnetospheres of rotating neutron stars with a strong surface magnetic field, B ≳ 10¹² G. The electrons and positrons falling into the magnetosphere or produced in it are shown to be captured by the force-free surface E · B = 0. Using the Dirac-Lorentz equation, we investigate the dynamics of particle capture and subsequent motion near the force-free surface. The particle energy far from the force-free surface has been found to be determined by the balance between the power of the forces of an accelerating electric field and the intensity of curvature radiation. When captured, the particles perform adiabatic oscillations along the magnetic field lines and simultaneously move along the force-free surface. We have found the oscillation parameters and trajectories of the captured particles. We have calculated the characteristic capture times and energy losses of the particles through the emission of both bremsstrahlung and curvature photons by them. The capture of particles is shown to lead to a monotonic increase in the thickness of the layer of charged plasma accumulating near the force-free surface. The time it takes for a vacuum magnetosphere to be filled with plasma has been estimated.     

Subnanosecond collapse and pinch dynamics at the plasma focus

Compression and pinch phase at the plasma focus were investigated by streak camera observations of the visible emission. The duration of maximum local compression provides no evidence for magnetic confinement of the focus plasma. With increasing hard X-ray intensity a decreasing of the temporal evoution of the pinch phase is observed, indicating enhanced diffusion of magnetic field energy into the locally compressed plasma.     

大气压等离子体针产生空气均匀放电特性研究

大气压空气放电由于脱离了真空装置,易于实现流水线生产,因而在工业上具有广泛的应用. 采用等离子体针装置在空气中产生了稳定的大气压均匀放电. 利用光谱法对等离子体的相关参数进行了空间分辨率测量,并通过光学方法对放电机理进行了研究. 结果表明,等离子体针产生的放电存在电晕放电和等离子体羽放电两种模式. 在稳定的等离子体羽放电模式中,发光分为强光区和弱光区. 弱光区放电的发展速度远大于强光区的发展速度,电子能量和电子密度均是弱光区比强光区大. 对均匀放电的气体温度和振动温度的研究表明,强光区放电遵循汤生击穿机理而弱光区为流光放电. 这些结果对大气压空气放电的工业应用具有重要意义. 关键词： 大气压均匀放电 等离子体针 发射光谱 放电机理     

Parametric study of plasma active medium and gain saturation region in a Ne-like soft X-ray laser

Plasmas created by the interaction of high power optical laser with a target surface can be used as a source of soft X-ray lasers. Plasma and pump laser characteristics play significant role in achieving high gain coefficient for such plasma based on soft X-ray lasers. In the present work, the plasma active medium parameters for germanium element at a wavelength of 19.6 nm irradiated by a double-pulse pump laser have been studied using MED103 hydrodynamic code. For this purpose, first, the effects of laser intensity, pulse width and delay time of two pulses on the gain coefficient have been investigated and the optimum conditions for the maximum gain extent of Ne-like germanium soft X-ray laser are obtained. Then, in order to calculate the intensity of such high gain lasers in which Linford equation is invalid, we have adopted the general formula of amplified spontaneous emission intensity, which is valid in all range of intensities even at much higher intensities than saturation intensity. Finally, the soft X-ray laser intensities in the saturated areas for different plasma lengths have been calculated. The results show that the output of soft X-ray laser intensity with 294 cm⁻¹ gain coefficient can reach to about several times saturated intensity by applying a 1–2 mm plasma length as the active medium.     

Peculiar Features of Plasma-Focus Discharges Within PF-360 Facility

The paper reports on recent studies of plasma-focus (PF) discharge dynamics and fusion neutron emission, which were performed with the PF-360 device at the energy level of about 120 kJ and the maximum current of 1.85 MA. Using the high-speed multi-frame imaging system, the behavior of a current-sheath layer during the radial compression phase and of a plasma column during the pinch phase has been investigated. Dynamics of the pinch phase was studied in the visible radiation and soft X-rays simultaneously. Characteristics of the neutron emission from PF discharges, which were carried out with and without the use of planar D₂O-ice target, were studied experimentally. In particular, the anisotropy coefficient, defined as a ratio of the fusion-neutron yield to that measured at 90° to the z-axis, i.e. Y _n()/Y _n (90°), was investigated under different experimental conditions. Various structures of the time-resolved neutron signals were recorded and interpreted, e.g. as a result of a double pinch. Possible mechanisms of the fusion neutron production have also been discussed.     

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用火花预电离辅助介质阻挡放电装置在大气压空气中实现了均匀的类辉光放电。通过用光谱模拟法和波尔兹曼图解法对N 2 第一负带系B2Σ→X 2Σ(0,0)带发射谱线的分析,对放电过程中N 2 的转动温度进行了诊断。研究了不同频率和放电模式下转动温度的变化规律,对由两种方法计算所得的温度进行了对比。实验结果表明,转动温度会随着外加频率的增加而缓慢的增加;当放电从类辉光模式变到丝状放电模式时,转动温度会有70K左右的升高。     

Experimental investigation of nanosecond discharge plasma aerodynamic actuation

In this paper we report on an experimental study of the characteristics of nanosecond pulsed discharge plasma aerodynamic actuation. The N 2 (C 3 Π u ) rotational and vibrational temperatures are around 430 K and 0.24 eV, respectively. The emission intensity ratio between the first negative system and the second positive system of N 2 , as a rough indicator of the temporally and spatially averaged electron energy, has a minor dependence on applied voltage amplitude. The induced flow direction is not parallel, but vertical to the dielectric layer surface, as shown by measurements of body force, velocity, and vorticity. Nanosecond discharge plasma aerodynamic actuation is effective in airfoil flow separation control at freestream speeds up to 100 m/s.     

Electromagnetic radiation sources based on a low-inductive extended z-discharge

Model sources of electromagnetic radiation based on a low-inductive extended z-discharge are studied experimentally and numerically. The discharge is initiated by a high-voltage pulse generator through a long transmission line. It is shown that using a sliding discharge traveling wave, one can provide electrical breakdown of long discharge gaps in a wide range of initial gas pressure and produce a plasma pinch at moderate voltages of the generator. A new nonpinch mechanism of radiation generation is discovered in the soft X-ray range of the spectra. This mechanism offers a higher efficiency of conversion of electrical energy to the energy of an inverted medium.     

双预电离对TEA CO2激光器放电特性的影响

一些低增益弱线CO2激光光谱在分离某种同位素方面是非常有用的。在成比例的混合气体中很难获得这些谱线的输出,须适当提高CO2和N2的含量,但结果给主电极的辉光放电带来了困难。通过对改装后的双预电离放电回路的参量进行调节,实现了对预电离的单独控制,有利于增强预电离效果,使高含量的CO2混合气体的放电和出光成为可能。理论和实验证明了双预电离能较好地改善TEA CO2激光器的放电性能,尤其是有望实现用于分离某些同位素的弱线输出。     

Effects of an ultrashort prepulse on soft X-ray generation from an aluminium plasma produced by femtosecond Ti:Sapphire laser pulses

The influence of a prepulse on soft X-ray emission in the range of 50–200 from an aluminium plasma produced by 130 fs Ti: Sapphire laser pulses with an intensity of 10¹⁴ W/cm² at normal incidence is studied. An ultrashort prepulse with an intensity of 10¹³ W/cm² significantly enhances soft X-ray emission when there is a long time separation ( > 100 ps) between the prepulse and an intense main pulse. It is also observed for the first time that a prepulse with a short pulse time separation can slightly reduce soft X-ray emission, contrary to the previous work done using 248 nm laser pulses. This can be explained qualitatively in terms of the dependence of absorption on the length scale.     

通过软X射线信号研究芯部等离子体的结构

介绍了如何从软X射线原始信号上分析等离子体芯部磁场结构的方法. 在HT-7托卡马克上,通过分析一炮典型的放电数据,直接从软X射线原始信号上分析了磁岛的位置和旋转方向. 通过软X射线图像反演的结果和Mirnov信号上观察到的m=2模的走向验证了磁岛旋转的方向和位置. 关键词： 软X射线 MHD不稳定性 磁岛     

UV Radiation Source Based on the Plasma of a Glow Discharge in a Mixture of Helium with Water Vapors

The results on the optical characteristics of the glow–discharge plasma in an He/H₂O mixture are presented. It has been established that it is a source of UV radiation in the region 306–315 nm (_max = 309.6 nm). Radiation lines of the atoms of hydrogen (H 486.1 nm and H 656.3 nm) and helium (491.1, 501.1, 587.6, and 667.8 nm) were recorded in the visible region of the spectrum; they can be used as diagnostic lines in measuring the parameters of this plasma (n _e, T _e) by the method of emission spectroscopy. The intensity of the UV bands and of the spectral lines HI and HeI have been optimized depending on the partial pressure of helium and the discharge current. The results obtained are of interest for the development of an ecologically pure source of UV radiation on the basis of chemiluminescence of water vapors in a longitudinal glow discharge.     

The Spectrum of Ne-Like Ar and the 4d-4p Transition of Kr7+ at 45 nm in Capillary Discharge Experiment

Capillary discharge soft X-ray laser, which is always called “table-top soft X-ray laser,” is one of the effective methods for miniaturization. The method is deemed to have experimental facility with practicable value. With capillary discharge mechanism, Ne-like Ar at 46.9 nm soft X-ray laser has been obtained, and the experimental results and the analyses are reported in this paper. Experimentally, a current pulse with the amplitude of 20 kA was used to excite three different gases: Ar, Kr, and N₂. The signals were detected by an X-ray diode (XRD), and the emission spectra were monitored with a Rowland spectrograph. The J = 0–1 line and one 3d-3p transition of Ne-like Ar were detected, with wavelengths of 46.9 nm and 48.5 nm, respectively. Adjusting the pure Ar to the appropriate pressure, the authors found that the J = 0–1 line gains amplification, while 3d-3p does not. When the Ar pressure was 26 Pa, the J = 0–1 line completely dominated the spectrum. N₂ and Kr were used as the materials of capillary discharge respectively. The spike signal was obtained by XRD, then the spectrum was detected by Rowland spectrograph, and the spectrum of Kr⁷⁺ was found.