Feasibility of alpha particle measurement in a magnetically confined plasma by CO/sub 2/ laser Thomson scattering

Technical Report · Sat Aug 01 04:00:00 EDT 1987

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/6112688· OSTI ID:6112688

Richards, R. K.; Vander Sluis, K. L.; Hutchinson, D. P.

Fusion-product alpha particles will dominate the behavior of the next generation of ignited D-T fusion reactors. Advanced diagnostics will be required to characterize the energy deposition of these fast alpha particles in the magnetically confined plasma. For small-angle coherent Thomson scattering of a CO/sub 2/ laser beam from such a plasma, a resonance in the scattered power occurs near 90/sup 0/ with respect to the magnetic field direction. This spatial concentration permits a simplified detection of the scattered laser power from the plasma using a heterodyne system. The signal produced by the presence of fusion-product alpha particles in an ignited plasma is calculated to be well above the noise level, which results from statistical variations of the background signal produced by scattering from free electrons. 7 refs.

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC05-84OR21400
• OSTI ID: 6112688
• Report Number(s): ORNL/TM-10363; ON: DE88000039
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
700102* -- Fusion Energy-- Plasma Research-- Diagnostics
ALPHA DETECTION
ALPHA PARTICLES
CARBON DIOXIDE LASERS
CHARGED PARTICLE DETECTION
CHARGED PARTICLES
CONFINEMENT
DETECTION
GAS LASERS
INELASTIC SCATTERING
LASERS
MAGNETIC FIELD CONFIGURATIONS
PLASMA CONFINEMENT
PLASMA DIAGNOSTICS
RADIATION DETECTION
SCATTERING
SIGNAL-TO-NOISE RATIO
SMALL ANGLE SCATTERING
THERMONUCLEAR REACTORS
THOMSON SCATTERING