Simulations and experiments of intense ion beam current density compression in space and time

Journal Article · Fri May 15 04:00:00 EDT 2009 · Physics of Plasmas

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.3078424· OSTI ID:21277185

Sefkow, A B ^[1]; Davidson, R C; Kaganovich, I D ^[2]; Gilson, E P; Anders, A; Coleman, J E; Leitner, M; Lidia, S M; Roy, P K; Seidl, P A; Waldron, W L; Yu, S S ^[3]; Welch, D R ^[4]

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1. Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87185 (United States)
2. Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory, Princeton, New Jersey 08543 (United States)
3. Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720 (United States)
4. Voss Scientific, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87108 (United States)

The Heavy Ion Fusion Science Virtual National Laboratory has achieved 60-fold longitudinal pulse compression of ion beams on the Neutralized Drift Compression Experiment (NDCX) [P. K. Roy et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 95, 234801 (2005)]. To focus a space-charge-dominated charge bunch to sufficiently high intensities for ion-beam-heated warm dense matter and inertial fusion energy studies, simultaneous transverse and longitudinal compression to a coincident focal plane is required. Optimizing the compression under the appropriate constraints can deliver higher intensity per unit length of accelerator to the target, thereby facilitating the creation of more compact and cost-effective ion beam drivers. The experiments utilized a drift region filled with high-density plasma in order to neutralize the space charge and current of an {approx}300 keV K{sup +} beam and have separately achieved transverse and longitudinal focusing to a radius <2 mm and pulse duration <5 ns, respectively. Simulation predictions and recent experiments demonstrate that a strong solenoid (B{sub z}<100 kG) placed near the end of the drift region can transversely focus the beam to the longitudinal focal plane. This paper reports on simulation predictions and experimental progress toward realizing simultaneous transverse and longitudinal charge bunch focusing. The proposed NDCX-II facility would capitalize on the insights gained from NDCX simulations and measurements in order to provide a higher-energy (>2 MeV) ion beam user-facility for warm dense matter and inertial fusion energy-relevant target physics experiments.

• OSTI ID: 21277185
• Journal Information: Physics of Plasmas, Journal Name: Physics of Plasmas Journal Issue: 5 Vol. 16; ISSN PHPAEN; ISSN 1070-664X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
COMPRESSION
CURRENT DENSITY
INERTIAL FUSION DRIVERS
ION BEAMS
ION DENSITY
PLASMA DENSITY
PLASMA SIMULATION
SPACE CHARGE