Radiation Production by Charged Particle Beams Ejected from a Plasma Focus.
Abstract
The scope of this investigation concerns the development of a pulsed radiation source using the charged particle beam ejected from a plasma focus device. The concept represents a rather simple method of producing intense bursts of relatively soft x rays for applications such as the testing of satellite components for radiation hardening and survivability. The plasma focus is operated in a modified geometry such that electron bursts which originate in the plasma column at the onset of the plasma pinch are transported from the focus region to a target chamber by means of a conductive drift tube. X rays are produced at a converter by thick-target bremsstrahlung. This report describes the progress that has been made in the construction of such a radiation facility. The plasma focus, identified as the Mark IV, is nominally rated at 34 kJ with a capacitance of 168 micro F at 20 kV. The current status of the investigation is such that the device after considerable modifications, is now operational and diagnostic hardware is being developed to measure the electron bursts from the dense plasma. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Feb 01, 1981
- Accession Number
- ADA096964
Entities
People
- G. Marshall Molen
Organizations
- Old Dominion University