Collective focusing of intense ion beam pulses for high-energy density physics applications

Journal Article · Tue Mar 15 04:00:00 EDT 2011 · Physics of Plasmas

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.3557894· OSTI ID:21537317

Dorf, Mikhail A; Kaganovich, Igor D; Startsev, Edward A; Davidson, Ronald C ^[1]

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1. Plasma Physics Laboratory, Princeton, New Jersey 08543 (United States)

The collective focusing concept in which a weak magnetic lens provides strong focusing of an intense ion beam pulse carrying a neutralizing electron background is investigated by making use of advanced particle-in-cell simulations and reduced analytical models. The original analysis by Robertson [Phys. Rev. Lett. 48, 149 (1982)] is extended to the parameter regimes of particular importance for several high-energy density physics applications. The present paper investigates (1) the effects of non-neutral collective focusing in a moderately strong magnetic field; (2) the diamagnetic effects leading to suppression of the applied magnetic field due to the presence of the beam pulse; and (3) the influence of a finite-radius conducting wall surrounding the beam cross-section on beam neutralization. In addition, it is demonstrated that the use of the collective focusing lens can significantly simplify the technical realization of the final focusing of ion beam pulses in the Neutralized Drift Compression Experiment-I (NDCX-I), and the conceptual designs of possible experiments on NDCX-I are investigated by making use of advanced numerical simulations.

• OSTI ID: 21537317
• Journal Information: Physics of Plasmas, Journal Name: Physics of Plasmas Journal Issue: 3 Vol. 18; ISSN PHPAEN; ISSN 1070-664X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
BEAM NEUTRALIZATION
BEAM PULSERS
BEAMS
COMPUTERIZED SIMULATION
ENERGY DENSITY
FOCUSING
ION BEAMS
PLASMA SIMULATION
SIMULATION