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1

A new concept of fusion neutron monitoring for PF-1000 device

Jednorog S., Laszynska E., Bienkowska B., Ziolkowski A., Paduch M., Szewczak K., Mikszuta K., Malinowski K., Bajdel M., Potrykus P.

Nukleonika

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2017

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Vol. 62, No. 1

17--22

EN

The power output of plasma experiments and fusion reactors is a crucial parameter. It is determined by neutron yields that are proportional and directly related to the fusion yield. The number of emitted neutrons should be known for safety reasons and for neutron budget management. The PF-1000 is the large plasma facility based on the plasma focus phenomenon. PF-1000 is operating in the Institute of Plasma Physics and Laser Microfusion in Warsaw. Neutron yield changes during subsequent pulses, which is immanent part of this type device and so it must be monitored in terms of neutron emission. The reference diagnostic intended for this purpose is the silver activation counter (SAC) used for many years. Our previous studies demonstrated the applicability of radio-yttrium for neutron yield measurements during the deuterium campaign on the PF-1000 facility. The obtained results were compared with data from silver activation counter and shown linear dependence but with some protuberances in local scale. Correlation between results for both neutron monitors was maintained. But the yttrium monitor registered the fast energy neutron that reached measurement apparatus directly from the plasma pinch. Based on the preliminary experiences, the yttrium monitor was designed to automatically register neutron-induced yttrium activity. The MCNP geometrical model of PF-1000 and yttrium monitor were both used for calculation of the activation coefficient for yttrium. The yttrium monitor has been established as the permanent diagnostic for monitoring fusion reactions in the PF-1000 device.

2

The experimental and theoretical investigations of damage development and distribution in double-forged tungsten under plasma irradiation-initiated extreme heat loads

Väli B., Laas T., Paju J., Shirokova V., Paduch M., Gribkov V. A., Demina E. V., Pimenov V. N., Makhlaj V. A., Antonov M.

Nukleonika

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2016

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Vol. 61, No. 2

169--177

EN

The influence of extreme heat loads, as produced by a multiple pulses of non-homogeneous flow of slow plasma (0.1–1 keV) and fast ions (100 keV), on double-forged tungsten (DFW) was investigated. For generation of deuterium plasma and fast deuterons, plasma-focus devices PF-12 and PF-1000 are used. Depending on devices and conditions, the power flux density of plasma varied in a range of 107–1010 W/cm2 with pulse duration of 50–100 ns. Power flux density of fast ions was 1010–1012 W/cm2 at the pulse duration of 10–50 ns. To achieve the combined effect of different kind of plasmas, the samples were later irradiated with hydrogen plasma (105 W/cm2, 0.25 ms) by a QSPA Kh-50 plasma generator. Surface modification was analysed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and microroughness measurements. For estimation of damages in the bulk of material, an electrical conductivity method was used. Investigations showed that irradiation of DFW with multiple plasma pulses generated a mesh of micro- and macrocracks due to high heat load. A comparison with single forged tungsten (W) and tungsten doped with 1% lanthanum-oxide (WL10) reveals the better crack-resistance of DFW. Also, sizes of cells formed between the cracks on the DFW’s surface were larger than in cases of W or WL10. Measurements of electrical conductivity indicated a layer of decreased conductivity, which reached up to 500 µm. It depended mainly on values of power flux density of fast ions, but not on the number of pulses. Thus, it may be concluded that bulk defects (weakening bonds between grains and crystals, dislocations, point-defects) were generated due to mechanical shock wave, which was generated by the fast ions flux. Damages and erosion of materials under different combined radiation conditions have also been discussed.

3

Studies of plasma interactions with tungsten targets in PF-1000U facility

Ladygina M. S., Skladnik-Sadowska E., Zaloga D. R., Sadowski M. J., Kubkowska M., Kowalska-Strzeciwilk E., Krawczyk N., Paduch M., Miklaszewski R., Garkusha I. E.

Nukleonika

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2016

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Vol. 61, No. 2

149--153

EN

This paper presents results of experimental studies of tungsten samples of 99.95% purity, which were irradiated by intense plasma-ion streams. The behaviour of tungsten, and particularly its structural change induced by high plasma loads, is of great importance for fusion technology. The reported measurements were performed within a modifi ed PF-1000U plasma-focus facility operated at the IFPiLM in Warsaw, Poland. The working gas was pure deuterium. In order to determine the main plasma parameters and to study the behaviour of impurities at different instants of the plasma discharge, the optical emission spectroscopy was used. The dependence of plasma parameters on the initial charging voltage (16, 19 and 21 kV) was studied. Detailed optical measurements were performed during interactions of a plasma stream with the tungsten samples placed at the z-axis of the facility, at a distance of 6 cm from the electrode outlets. The recorded spectra showed distinct WI and WII spectral lines. Investigation of a target surface morphology, after its irradiation by intense plasma streams, was performed by means of an optical microscope. The observations revealed that some amounts of the electrodes material (mainly copper) were deposited upon the irradiated sample surface. In all the cases, melted zones were observed upon the irradiated target surface, and in experiments performed at the highest charging voltage there were formed some cracks.

4

Experiments and simulations on the possibility of radiative contraction/collapse in the PF-1000 plasma focus

Akel M., Cikhardt J., Kubes P., Kunze H.-J., Lee S., Paduch M., Saw S. H.

Nukleonika

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2016

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Vol. 61, No. 2

145--148

EN

Experimental studies of discharges in the plasma focus facility with neon filling and respective numerical simulations employing the radiative Lee code are reported. The pinch currents exceed the Pease-Braginskii current, which indicates that radiative losses are larger than heating and that contraction of the formed plasma should occur. Both of these effects were indeed observed. Parallel numerical simulations were crucial for the identifi cation of such an effect.

5

Evolution of the small ball-like structures in the plasma focus discharge

Cikhardtova B., Kubes P., Cikhardt J., Paduch M., Zielinska E., Kravarik J., Rezac K., Kortanek J.

Nukleonika

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2016

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Vol. 61, No. 2

155--159

EN

The experiments were carried out in the PF-1000 plasma-focus device at the maximum current reaching about 2 MA, at the deuterium or neon filling and with deuterium injected from a gas-puff nozzle placed on the axis of the anode face. Ball-like structures of diameters of 1–12 mm were identifi ed in interferometric and XUV pinhole camera frames. We made the statistical description of their parameters. A lifetime of the ball- -like structures was in the range from 30 to 210 ns, and in some cases even more. These structures appeared mostly at the surface of the imploding plasma shell and they did not change their position in relation to the anode end. During the evolution of these structures, interferometric fringes were observed near the surfaces of the structures only, and their internal parts were initially chaotic (without noticeable) fringes. Subsequently the number of interferometric fringes increased (the internal ‘chaotic’ area was fi lled with fringes too) and later on it decreased. The radii of the ball-like structures were mostly increasing during their existence. The maximum electron density reached the value of 1024 to 1025 m–3. The ball-like structures decayed by absorption inside the expanded pinch column and/or gradually expired in rare plasma outside of the dense plasma column.

6

Temporal distribution of linear densities of the plasma column in a plasma focus discharge

Cikhardtova B., Kubeš P., Cikhardt J., Paduch M., Zielinska E., Kravárik J., Řezáč K., Kortanek J., Šíla O.

Nukleonika

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2015

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Vol. 60, No. 2

315--318

EN

Experiments were carried out on the PF-1000 plasma focus device, with a deuterium filling and with deuterium puffing from a gas-puff nozzle placed on the axis of the anode face. The current was reaching 2 MA. 15 interferometric frames from one shot were recorded with a Nd:YLF laser and a Mach–Zehnder interferometer, with 10–20 ns delay between the frames. As a result, the temporal and spatial distribution of the linear densities and the radial and axial velocities of the moving of plasma in the dense plasma column could be estimated.

7

Study of tungsten surface interaction with plasma streams at DPF-1000U

Ladygina M. S., Skladnik-Sadowska E., Zaloga D. R., Malinowski K., Sadowski M. J., Kubkowska M., Kowalska-Strzeciwilk E., Paduch M., Zielinska E., Miklaszewski R., Garkusha I. E., Gribkov V. A.

Nukleonika

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2015

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Vol. 60, No. 2

293--296

EN

In this note experimental studies of tungsten (W) samples irradiated by intense plasma-ion streams are reported. Measurements were performed using the modified plasma focus device DPF-1000U equipped with an axial gas-puffing system. The main diagnostic tool was a Mechelle®900 optical spectrometer. The electron density of a freely propagating plasma stream (i.e., the plasma stream observed without any target inside the vacuum chamber) was estimated on the basis of the half-width of the Dβ spectral line, taking into account the linear Stark effect. For a freely propagating plasma stream the maximum electron density amounted to about 1.3 × 1017 cm–3 and was reached during the maximum plasma compression. The plasma electron density depends on the initial conditions of the experiments. It was thus important to determine first the plasma flow characteristics before attempting any target irradiation. These data were needed for comparison with plasma characteristics after an irradiation of the investigated target. In fact, spectroscopic measurements performed during interactions of plasma streams with the investigated W samples showed many WI and WII spectral lines. The surface erosion was determined from mass losses of the irradiated samples. Changes on the surfaces of the irradiated samples were also investigated with an optical microscope and some sputtering and melting zones were observed.

8

Recent measurements of soft X-ray emission from the DPF-1000U facility

Surała W., Sadowski M. J., Paduch M., Zielinska E., Tomaszewski K.

Nukleonika

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2015

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Vol. 60, No. 2

303--308

EN

Soft X-ray imaging is a very useful diagnostic technique in plasma-focus (PF) experiments. This paper reports results of four experimental sessions which were carried out at the DPF-1000U plasma-focus facility in 2013 and 2014. Over 200 discharges were performed at various experimental conditions. Measurements were taken using two X-ray pinhole cameras with a line of sight perpendicular to the z-axis, at different azimuthal angles (about 20° and 200°), and looking towards the centre of the PF-pinch column. They were equipped with diaphragms 1000 μm or 200–300 μm in diameter and coated with filters of 500 μm Al foil and 10 μm Be foil, respectively. Data on the neutron emission were collected with silver activation counters. For time-resolved measurements the use was made of four PIN diodes equipped with various fi lters and oriented towards the centre of the PF-column, in the direction perpendicular to the electrode axis. The recorded X-ray images revealed that when the additional gas-puff system is activated during the discharge, the stability of the discharge is improved. The data collected in these experiments confi rmed the appearance of a filamentary fi ne structure in the PF discharges. In the past years the formation of such fi laments was observed in many Z-pinch type experiments. Some of the recorded X-ray images have also revealed the appearance of the so-called hot- -spots, i.e. small plasma regions of a very intense X-ray emission. Such a phenomenon was observed before in many PF experiments, e.g. in the MAJA-PF device, but it has not been investigated so far in a large facility such as the DPF-1000U. The time-resolved measurements provided the evidence of a time lapse between the X-ray emission from plasma regions located at different distance from the anode surface. The formation of distinct ‘hot-spots’ in different instants of the DPF-1000U discharge was also observed.

9

Recent ion measurements within the modified DPF-1000U facility

Kwiatkowski R., Czaus K., Skladnik-Sadowska E., Sadowski M. J., Zaloga D. R., Paduch M., Zielinska E.

Nukleonika

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2015

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Vol. 60, No. 2

297--302

EN

In this note we describe measurements of ion beams emitted along the z-axis of the DPF-1000U facility operated at 23 kV, 334 kJ, and with the initial deuterium pressure of 1.6–2 hPa. The DPF-1000U device was recently renewed and equipped with a dynamic gas-puff valve placed inside the inner electrode. The investigated ions were recorded by means of ion pinhole cameras equipped with solid state nuclear track detectors of the PM-355® (PADC) type. The energy spectra of ions were determined using a Thomson spectrometer placed on the symmetry axis at a distance of 160 cm from the electrodes outlets. The ion images recorded during discharges performed under different experimental conditions show that the ion beams have a complex structure, usually in the form of a central bunch and an annular stream composed of many micro-beams. Energies of the registered deuterons have been in the range of 30–700 keV, while the fast protons (which originated from the hydrogen remnants) had energies in the range of 300–850 keV.

10

Comparison of optical spectra recorded during DPF-1000U plasma experiments with gas-puffing

Zaloga D. R., Skladnik-Sadowska E., Kubkowska M., Ladygina M. S., Malinowski K., Kwiatkowski R., Sadowski M. J., Paduch M., Zielinska E., Makhlaj V. A.

Nukleonika

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2015

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Vol. 60, No. 2

309--314

EN

The results are presented of the optical spectra measurements for free plasma streams generated with the use of the modifi ed DPF-1000U machine. This facility was recently equipped with a gas injection system (the so-called gas-puff) placed on the symmetry axis behind the central opening in the inner electrode. The DPF-1000U experimental chamber was fi lled up with pure deuterium at the initial pressure of 1.6 or 2.4 mbar. Additionally, when the use was made of the gas-puff system about 1 cm3 of pure deuterium was injected at the pressure of 2 bars. The gas injection was initiated 1.5 or 2 ms before the triggering of the main discharge. The investigated plasma discharges were powered from a condenser bank charged initially to 23 kV (corresponding to the energy of 352 kJ), and the maximum discharge current amounted to about 1.8 MA. In order to investigate properties of a dense plasma column formed during DPF-1000U discharges the use was made of the optical emission spectroscopy. The optical spectra were recorded along the line of sight perpendicular to the vacuum chamber, using a Mechelle®900 spectrometer. The recent analysis of all the recorded spectra made it possible to compare the temporal changes in the electron density of a freely propagating plasma stream for discharges without and with the gas-puffing. Using this data an appropriate mode of operation of the DPF-1000U facility could be determined.

11

Progress in MJ plasma focus research at IPPLM

Scholz M., Karpinski L., Krauz V. I., Kubeš P., Paduch M., Sadowski M. J.

Nukleonika

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2012

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Vol. 57, No. 2

183-188

EN

The results of studies of the plasma dynamics and neutron emission on a PF-1000 facility in the stage of pinch formation are presented. The measurements were performed using various modifications of the calibrated magnetic probes, 16 frame interferometry, silver activation counters and photomultiplier tube (PMT) neutron probes. The current measurements at a distance of 40 mm from the axis of the electrodes was measured. This dependence agrees well with the known scaling, Yn similar to I4. The evolution plasma density during pinch formation and a neutron emission were study.

12

Preliminary determination of angular distribution of neutrons emitted from PF-1000 facility by indium activation

Jednoróg S., Szydłowski A., Scholz M., Paduch M., Bienkowska B.

Nukleonika

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2012

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Vol. 57, No. 4

563-568

EN

This paper presents a new method applied to measure the angular neutron emission from Plasma Focus (PF) - type deuterium discharges performed within the PF-1000 facility. Neutrons were recorded by activation of especially optimized (mass and shape) indium samples with subsequent gamma spectrometry to measure the induced activity of the samples. The neutron fluence rate on every indium sample used was determined using neutron transport calculation and measured activity of the samples.

13

Magnetic field measurements on PF - 1000 and PF - 3 facilities: current sheath structure and neutron scaling

Krauz V. I., Mitrofanov K. N., Scholz M., Myalton V. V., Paduch M., Grabovskii E. V., Karpinski L., Koidan V. S., Vinogradov V. P., Vinogradova Y. V., Zielinska E.

Nukleonika

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2012

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Vol. 57, No. 2

201-204

EN

The comparative analysis of the magnetic field distribution, the dynamics and structure of the plasma current sheath, and the neutron yield scaling in two largest plasma focus facilities, PF-3 and PF-1000 is done. The power-low dependence of the neutron yield on the current in the imploding plasma sheath has been demonstrated experimentally. For the first time the presence of the Bz magnetic field components is experimentally shown.

14

Interferometry of the plasma focus equipped with forehead cathode

Kubeš P., Klír D., Rezac K., Paduch M., Pisarczyk T., Scholz M., Chodukowski T., Kalinowska Z., Hitschfel J., Kortanek J., Kravárik J., Ivanova-Stanik I., Bienkowska B., Karpinski L., Zielinska E., Sadowski M. J., Tomaszewski K.

Nukleonika

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2012

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Vol. 57, No. 2

189-192

EN

The PF-1000 plasma-focus facility in Warsaw, equipped with Mather-type coaxial electrodes working with a deuterium filling, was modified by the addition of a cathode disk in front of the anode front-plate at a distance of 3 cm. The plasma was diagnosed with temporal resolved interferometry and neutron diagnostics. The modified electrode configuration showed an increase of the current in the pinch phase and a decrease of the total neutron yield. The lower total neutron yield is caused by a lower energy of deuterons producing the observed neutrons and by a decrease of the velocity of transformations of the structures in the pinch column.

15

Optical emission spectroscopy of plasma streams in PF-1000 experiments

Jakubowska K., Kubkowska M., Skladnik-Sadowska E., Malinowski K., Marchenko A. K., Paduch M., Sadowski M. J., Scholz M.

Nukleonika

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2011

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Vol. 56, No. 2

125-129

EN

The optical spectroscopy in the visible range was used to determine properties of the dense magnetized plasma generated in the PF-1000, a 1 MJ plasma focus device operating in the Institute of Plasma Physics and Laser Microfusion (IPPLM) in Warsaw, Poland. The experiments were performed in a vacuum chamber pumped out to the basic pressure of 2 x 10.5 hPa. The initial pressure of the pure deuterium filling was 2.9 hPa, while that of the deuterium--argon mixture was 1.07 hPa of D2 and 0.13 hPa of Ar. The deuterium-plasma emission contained the Balmer series (Dalfa, Dbeta and Dgamma) and a few distinct copper (Cu I) lines originating from the inner electrode material. The emission of the deuterium-argon plasma was rich in Ar II lines. The electron density (ne), averaged over line of sight, of order of 1016 cm.3 was calculated on the basis of the Dalfa and Dbeta emission only, because the D�ż line was strongly self-absorbed. A group of the Ar II spectral lines was used to estimate the excitation temperature (Texc = 3 eV) by means of a Boltzmann plot. Additionally, the temporal evolution of the electron density was determined on basis of the Stark broadening of the Dalfa and Dgamma lines.

16

Measurements of electron and ion beams emitted from the PF-1000 device in the upstream and downstream direction

Kwiatkowski R., Skladnik-Sadowska E., Malinowski K., Sadowski M. J., Czaus K., Zebrowski J., Karpinski L., Paduch M., Scholz M., Garkusha I. E., Kubeš P.

Nukleonika

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2011

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Vol. 56, No. 2

119-123

EN

In this paper we report on measurements of the energy spectra and other properties of the electron and fast ion beams emitted in the upstream and downstream direction along the z-axis of a large plasma focus device PF-1000, that was operated at 21-27 kV, delivering 290–480 kJ pulse. Measurements of the electron beam (EB) properties were performed using a magnetic analyzer. Properties of the ion beams were measured by means of pinhole cameras equipped with PM-355 nuclear track detectors and placed at various angles (0, 60 and 180 centigrade) to the discharge axis. Measurements revealed a complex spatial structure of the fast ion beams. The ion measurements behind the PF-1000 collector proved that some fast deuterons are emitted also in the upstream direction. Measurements of the EBs emitted in the upstream and downstream direction revealed electron energies in the range from approximately 40 keV to approximately 800 keV. These spectra confirm that in localized regions within the PF-1000 plasma column there appear strong fields accelerating charged particles in different directions along the discharge axis.

17

Status of a mega-joule scale Plasma-Focus experiments

Scholz M., Bieńkowska B., Borowiecki M., Ivanova-Stanik I., Karpiński L., Stępniewski W., Paduch M., Tomaszewski K., Sadowski M., Szydłowski A., Kubeš P., Kravárik J.

Nukleonika

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2006

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Vol. 51, nr 1

79-84

EN

This paper presents results of the recent plasma-focus (PF) experiments carried out with PF facilities, which was operated at energies ranging from 0.5 MJ to about 1 MJ. Particular attention has been paid to pinch evolution, the emission of pulsed X-ray, fast electron beams, and fusion produced neutrons. Some theoretical models of the initial breakdown, which occurs at the insulator surface, are compared. It is pointed out that modeling of the breakdown is sensitive to kinetics of ionization processes and transport coefficients. Progress in experimental studies of the axial acceleration phase is unsatisfactory. Important experimental data have been collected, but new measurements are still needed. For the radial collapse phase, it was shown that the MHD modeling is efficient until the maximum compression, but plasma instabilities require more sophisticated approaches. The pinch phase was investigated by means of different diagnostics. Fusion neutron yields were measured in different experiments, but some discrepancies in scaling must still be explained. The conclusions concern directions for further studies and optimization of large-scale high-current PF facilities.

18

PF-6 an effective plasma focus as a source of ionizing radiation and plasma streams for application in material technology, biology and medicine

Gribkov V., Dubrovsky A., Scholz M., Jednorog S., Karpiński L., Tomaszewski K., Paduch M., Miklaszewski R., Pimenov V., Ivanov L. I., Dyomina E. V., Maslyaev S. A., Orlova M. A.

Nukleonika

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2006

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Vol. 51, nr 1

55-62

EN

A review of results on the design and operation of the new efficient Dense Plasma Focus device PF-6 of medium size (transportable) having bank energy of ca. 7 kJ and possessing a long lifetime is presented. New data on the interaction of the pulsed fast ion beams and dense plasma streams generated at this apparatus with various materials are given. These results are compared with the analogous information received at the biggest facility PF-1000. It is shown that it is possible to have about the same power flux density (in the range of 105 109 W/cm2) in both devices however in different areas. Doses of soft X-rays produced by the device within the resists for the goals of microlithography and micromachining appear to be several times less that it is with the conventional X-ray tube. In biological application of this device, medium- and hard-energy X-rays are exploited in the field of radioenzymology. It was found that the necessary dose producing activation/inactivation of enzymes can be by several orders of magnitude lower if used at a high-power flux density in comparison with those received with isotope sources. In medicine, short-life isotope production for the goals of the positron emission tomography (medicine diagnostics) is possible by means of the fast ions generated within DPF. All these experiments are discussed in the framework of pulsed radiation physics and chemistry in its perfect sense thereto the criteria are formulated.

19

Energy transformation in Plasma Focus discharge with wire and liner as a load

Kubeš P., Kravárik J., Klír D., Scholz M., Paduch M., Tomaszewski K., Karpinski L., Ryc L., Juha L., Krása J., Szydlowski A., Romanova V.

Nukleonika

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2002

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Vol. 47, nr 4

151-153

EN

We present the results of experiments focused on energy transformations during the implosion of the hydrogen current sheath towards an Al wire (120 ěm in diameter) positioned on the top of the inner electrode of the PF-1000 plasma focus facility at the IPPLM in Warsaw. A wire corona is formed at the current sheath impact and ~60 ns after the impact a soft X-ray pulse is emitted. Its spectrum contains AlVI-XII lines accompanied by their satellites. The amount of emitted energy is recorded by two filtered PIN diodes and thermoluminescent dosimeters and depends on symmetry of the current sheath and quality of the current sheath focus. The mean value of energy of keV photons emitted in the runs done without the wire (~1 J) is higher than the energy obtained with the wire (~0.4 J). A time delay between the impact of the current sheath and X-ray pulse, the plasma focus dynamics and soft X-ray emission are interpreted by an axial magnetic field generation and transformations.

20

A method for the determination of spatial electron density distribution in great Plasma-Focus devices

Kasperczuk A., Paduch M., Pisarczyk T., Tomaszewski K.

Nukleonika

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2002

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Vol. 47, nr 1

23-26

EN

Determination of the electron density of plasma generated in a great plasma-focus device by means of interferometry is very difficult or sometimes impossible. In order to determine spatial electron density distributions of plasma in a PF-1000 device, a special method was prepared, with the use of plasma images obtained by means of both an optical frame camera and shadowgraphy. Analysis of plasma radiation in the very narrow Äë = 60 Ĺ optical range allowed us to determine the relation between intensity of the plasma radiation and the electron density. It was also shown that the influence of electron temperature on plasma radiation is not large. The presented method allowed us to obtain spatial electron density distributions of plasma (in relative units) in the PF-1000 device. By means of this method a number of important information about the plasma-focus phenomenon was obtained.