Transient electrical discharges in small devices

Fundamental and applied research on plasmas with high energy density that are unstable and radiate can be done at a relatively low cost with small plasma pinches. In this paper we discuss three experiments using small pinch devices: a capillary discharge, a Z-pinch driven by a small generator, and a low energy plasma focus. The experiments were complemented by magnetohydrodynamics numerical calculations in order to assist the design and physical interpretation of the experimental data. The diagnostics used in the experiments include current and voltage monitors, multipinhole camera, holographic interferometry, and vacuum ultraviolet spectroscopy.Fil: Soto, Leopoldo. Comision Chilena de Energia Nuclear; ChileFil: Esaulov, Andrey. University Of Toyama; Japón. Comision Chilena de Energia Nuclear; ChileFil: Moreno, José. Comision Chilena de Energia Nuclear; ChileFil: Silva, Patricio. Comision Chilena de Energia Nuclear; ChileFil: Sylvester, Gustavo. Comision Chilena de Energia Nuclear; ChileFil: Zambra, Marcelo. Comision Chilena de Energia Nuclear; ChileFil: Nazarenko, Andrey. Comision Chilena de Energia Nuclear; ChileFil: Clausse, Alejandro. Universidad Nacional del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tandil; Argentin

Research on pinch plasma focus devices of hundred of kilojoules to tens of joules

At present the Plasma Physics and Plasma Technology Group of the Comisión Chilena de Energía Nuclear (CCHEN) has the experimental facilities in order to study fast dense transient discharges in a wide range of energy and current, namely: I) energy from hundred of kilojoules to tens of joules, II) current from megaamperes to tens of kiloamperes. Also several diagnostics have been implemented. An overview of the work being carried out on dense pinch plasma focus discharges at the Comisión Chilena de Energía Nuclear is presented. The plasma energy density and scaling laws for the neutron yield are discussed. Possible applications of the radiation emitted are also discussed

Etude expérimentale de l'ionisation double d'ions simplement chargés par impact d'électrons

Doctorat en Sciences physiques -- UCL, 199

Correlations Among Neutron Yield and Dynamical Discharge Characteristics Obtained from Electrical Signals in a 400 J Plasma Focus

Artículo de publicación ISIDynamical discharge characteristics and their relation with the total neutron yield emitted from a 400 J plasma focus operating in deuterium gas are presented. The dynamical nature of the plasma focus is obtained merely from the analysis of the voltage and current electrical signals without considering any particular geometry for the plasma sheath. It is calculated that large neutron yields are obtained when plasma inductance, mechanical energy and plasma voltage at pinching time have larger values. In contrast, no correlations are found among neutron yields either with plasma propagation velocities or quantities at the beginning of the radial phase. There is also found that the current sheath geometry changes according to the gas pressure, having larger curvature for lower pressures. The calculations also provide estimations of sheath thicknesses at the detachment from the insulator in the range of 0.5–1 mm, being thicker for larger neutron yield.This work is supported by the Chile Bicentennial Program in Science and Technology grant ACT 26, Center for Research and Applications in Plasma Physics and Pulsed Power Technology (P4 Project) F Veloso is supported by CCHEN and grant PSD-01, PBCT