Influence of electrode and insulator materials on the neutronemission in a low energy plasma focus device |
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Authors: | Rout RK Garg AB Shyam A Srinivasan M |
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Institution: | Div. of Neutron Phys., Bhabha Atomic Res. Centre, Bombay; |
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Abstract: | Insertion of internal impurities is one of the factors for the degradation of neutron output in plasma focus devices. In this context, neutron emission measurements were carried out in a 2.2 kJ (7.2 μF, 25 kV) Mather type squirrel cage plasma focus device with various combinations of electrode and insulator materials. The neutron yield was measured by silver activation detector. The results indicate that a central electrode of low erosion rate material produces maximum neutron yield with the highest anisotropy factor. A time integrated X-ray pinhole image shows that focus corresponding to the highest neutron yield material is the most compressed. The dielectric constant of the ceramic insulators has, at best, a very weak correlation with neutron output. The nonceramic insulators like perspex, nylon, or teflon neither produce focus nor neutrons |
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