Device and method for relativistic electron beam heating of a high-density plasma to drive fast liners

Patent · Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1981

OSTI ID:863787

Thode, Lester E ^[1]

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1. Los Alamos, NM

A device and method for relativistic electron beam heating of a high-density plasma in a small localized region. A relativistic electron beam generator or accelerator produces a high-voltage electron beam which propagates along a vacuum drift tube and is modulated to initiate electron bunching within the beam. The beam is then directed through a low-density gas chamber which provides isolation between the vacuum modulator and the relativistic electron beam target. The relativistic beam is then applied to a high-density target plasma which typically comprises DT, DD, hydrogen boron or similar thermonuclear gas at a density of 10.sup.17 to 10.sup.20 electrons per cubic centimeter. The target gas is ionized prior to application of the electron beam by means of a laser or other preionization source to form a plasma. Utilizing a relativistic electron beam with an individual particle energy exceeding 3 MeV, classical scattering by relativistic electrons passing through isolation foils is negligible. As a result, relativistic streaming instabilities are initiated within the high-density target plasma causing the relativistic electron beam to efficiently deposit its energy and momentum into a small localized region of the high-density plasma target. Fast liners disposed in the high-density target plasma are explosively or ablatively driven to implosion by a heated annular plasma surrounding the fast liner which is generated by an annular relativistic electron beam. An azimuthal magnetic field produced by axial current flow in the annular plasma, causes the energy in the heated annular plasma to converge on the fast liner.

• Research Organization: Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
• Assignee: United States of America as represented by U.S. Department of (Washington, DC)
• Patent Number(s): US 4248665
• OSTI ID: 863787
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

device
method
relativistic
electron
beam
heating
high-density
plasma
drive
fast
liners
localized
region
generator
accelerator
produces
high-voltage
propagates
vacuum
drift
tube
modulated
initiate
bunching
directed
low-density
gas
chamber
provides
isolation
modulator
target
applied
typically
comprises
dt
dd
hydrogen
boron
similar
thermonuclear
density
10
17
20
electrons
cubic
centimeter
ionized
prior
application
means
laser
preionization
source
form
utilizing
individual
particle
energy
exceeding
mev
classical
scattering
passing
foils
negligible
result
streaming
instabilities
initiated
causing
efficiently
deposit
momentum
disposed
explosively
ablatively
driven
implosion
heated
annular
surrounding
liner
generated
azimuthal
magnetic
field
produced
axial
current
flow
causes
converge
relativistic electrons
particle energy
target gas
high-density plasma
high-density target
typically comprises
individual particle
beam heating
cubic centimeter
accelerator produces
beam target
plasma causing
fast liner
density plasma
provides isolation
relativistic beam
beam generator
target plasma
field produced
relativistic electron
magnetic field
electron beam
current flow
drift tube
ionization source
localized region
gas chamber
axial current
relativistic streaming
streaming instabilities
similar thermonuclear
electrons passing
vacuum modulator
vacuum drift
initiate electron
thermonuclear gas
electron bunch
energy exceeding
electron bunching
efficiently deposit
comprises dt
classical scattering
isolation foils
ionized prior
preionization source
plasma target
fast liners
density target
electrons pass
low-density gas
voltage electron
hydrogen boron
high-voltage electron
typically comprise
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