Plasma flows during the ablation stage of an over-massed pulsed-power-driven exploding planar wire array

We characterize the plasma flows generated during the ablation stage of an over-massed exploding planar wire array, fielded on the COBRA pulsed-power facility (1 MA peak current, 250 ns rise time). The planar wire array is designed to provide a driving magnetic field (80-100 T) and current per wire distribution (about 60 kA), similar to that in a 10 MA cylindrical exploding wire array fielded on the Z machine. Over-massing the arrays enables continuous plasma ablation over the duration of the experiment. The requirement to over-mass on the Z machine necessitates wires with diameters of 75-100 $\mu$m, which are thicker than wires usually fielded on wire array experiments. To test ablation with thicker wires, we perform a parametric study by varying the initial wire diameter between 33-100 $\mu$m. The largest wire diameter (100 $\mu$m) array exhibits early closure of the AK gap, while the gap remains open during the duration of the experiment for wire diameters between 33-75 $\mu$m. Laser plasma interferometry and time-gated XUV imaging are used to probe the plasma flows ablating from the wires. The plasma flows from the wires converge to generate a pinch, which appears as a fast-moving ($V \approx {100}$ kms$^{-1}$) column of increased plasma density ($\bar{n}_e \approx 2 \times 10^{18}$ cm$^{-3}$) and strong XUV emission. Finally, we compare the results with three-dimensional resistive-magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) simulations performed using the code GORGON, the results of which reproduce the dynamics of the experiment reasonably well.Comment: 14 pages; 14 figure

Generation and transport of a low energy intense ion beam

The paper describes experiments on the generation and transport of a low energy (70-120 keV), high intensity (10-30 A/cm(2)) microsecond duration H+ ion beam (IB) in vacuum and plasma. The IB was generated in a magnetically insulated diode (MID) with an applied radial B field and an active hydrogen-puff ion source. The annular IB, with an initial density of j(i)similar to10-20 A/cm(2) at the anode surface, was ballistically focused to a current density in the focal plane of 50-80 A/cm(2). The postcathode collimation and transport of the converging IB were provided by the combination of a "concave" toroidal magnetic lens followed by a straight transport solenoid section. With optimized MID parameters and magnetic fields in the lens/solenoid system, the overall efficiency of IB transport at the exit of the solenoid 1 m from the anode was similar to 50% with an IB current density of 20 A/cm(2). Two-dimensional computer simulations of post-MID IB transport supported the optimization of system parameters. (C) 2004 American Institute of Physics

Pulsed ion beam surface treatment for preparing rapidly solidified corrosion resistant steel and aluminum surfaces

Intense, pulsed ion beams were used to melt and rapidly resolidify Types 316F, 316L and sensitized 304 stainless steel surfaces to eliminate the negative effects of microstructural heterogeneity on localized corrosion resistance. Anodic polarization curves determined for 316F and 316L showed that passive current densities were reduced and pitting potentials were increased due to ion beam treatment. Type 304 samples sensitized at 600 C for 100 h showed no evidence of grain boundary attack when surfaces were ion beam treated. Equivalent ion beam treatments were conducted with a 6061-T6 aluminum alloy. Electrochemical impedance experiments conducted with this alloy exposed to an aerated chloride solution showed that the onset of pitting was delayed compared to untreated control samples

Ion beam surface treatment: A new capability for rapid melt and resolidification of surfaces

The emerging capability to produce high average power (5--250 kW) pulsed ion beams at 0.2--2 MeV energies is enabling us to develop a new, commercial-scale thermal surface treatment technology called Ion Beam Surface Treatment (IBEST). This technique uses high energy, pulsed ({le}100 ns) ion beams to directly deposit energy in the top 2--20 micrometers of the surface of any material. Depth of treatment is controllable by varying the ion energy and species. Deposition of the energy with short pulses in a thin surface layer allows melting of the layer with relatively small energies and allows rapid cooling of the melted layer by thermal diffusion into the underlying substrate. Typical cooling rates of this process (10{sup 9}10{sup 10} K/sec) cause rapid resolidification, resulting in production of non-equilibrium microstructures (nano-crystalline and metastable phases) that have significantly improved corrosion, wear, and hardness properties. We have conducted IBEST feasibility experiments with results confirming surface hardening, nanocrystaline grain formation, metal surface polishing, controlled melt of ceramic surfaces, and surface cleaning

The COBRA accelerator pulsed-power driver for Cornell/Sandia ICF research

This paper introduces and describes the new Cornell Beam Research Accelerator, COBRA, the result of a three and one-half year collaboration. The flexible 4 to 5-MV, 100 to 250-kA, 46-ns pulse width accelerator is based on a four-cavity Inductive Voltage Adder (IVA) design. In addition to being a mix of new and existing components, COBRA is unique in the sense that each cavity is driven by a single pulse forming line, and the IVA output polarity may be reversed by rotating the cavities 1800 about their vertical axis. Our tests with negative high voltage on the inner MITL stalk indicate that the vacuum power flow has established reasonable azimuthal symmetry within about 2 ns (or 0.6 m) after the cavity output cap. Preliminary results with the accelerator, single cavity, and MITL are presented alone, with the design details and circuit model predictions

Progress toward a microsecond duration, repetitively pulsed, intense- ion beam

A number of intense ion beams applications are emerging requiring repetitive high-average-power beams. These applications include ablative deposition of thin films, rapid melt and resolidification for surface property enhancement, advanced diagnostic neutral beams for the next generation of Tokamaks, and intense pulsed-neutron sources. We are developing a 200-250 keV, 15 kA, 1 {mu}s duration, 1-30 Hz intense ion beam accelerator to address these applications

Rapid Melt and Resolidification of Surface Layers Using Intense, Pulsed Ion Beams Final Report

The emerging technology of pulsed intense ion beams has been shown to lead to improvements in surface characteristics such as hardness and wear resistance, as well as mechanical smoothing. We report hereon the use of this technology to systematically study improvements to three types of metal alloys - aluminum, iron, and titanium. Ion beam tieatment produces a rapid melt and resolidification (RMR) of the surface layer. In the case of a predeposited thin-fihn layer, the beam mixes this layer into the substrate, Ieading to improvements that can exceed those produced by treatment of the alloy alone, In either case, RMR results in both crystal refinement and metastable state formation in the treated surface layer not accessible by conventional alloy production. Although more characterization is needed, we have begun the process of relating these microstructural changes to the surface improvements we discuss in this report