Radiation source
Abstract
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, 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 relativistic 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 into a small localized region of the high-density plasma target.
- Inventors:
-
- Los Alamos, NM
- Issue Date:
- Research Org.:
- Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
- OSTI Identifier:
- 863804
- Patent Number(s):
- 4252607
- Assignee:
- United States of America as represented by United States (Washington, DC)
- Patent Classifications (CPCs):
-
G - PHYSICS G21 - NUCLEAR PHYSICS G21B - FUSION REACTORS
H - ELECTRICITY H05 - ELECTRIC TECHNIQUES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR H05H - PLASMA TECHNIQUE
- Resource Type:
- Patent
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- radiation; source; device; method; relativistic; electron; beam; heating; high-density; plasma; 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; similar; thermonuclear; density; 10; 17; 20; electrons; cubic; centimeter; ionized; prior; application; means; laser; preionization; form; utilizing; individual; particle; energy; exceeding; mev; classical; scattering; passing; foils; negligible; result; streaming; instabilities; initiated; causing; efficiently; deposit; 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; density plasma; provides isolation; relativistic beam; beam generator; target plasma; relativistic electron; electron beam; radiation source; drift tube; ionization source; localized region; gas chamber; 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; density target; electrons pass; low-density gas; voltage electron; high-voltage electron; typically comprise; /376/
Citation Formats
Thode, Lester E. Radiation source. United States: N. p., 1981.
Web.
Thode, Lester E. Radiation source. United States.
Thode, Lester E. Thu .
"Radiation source". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/863804.
@article{osti_863804,
title = {Radiation source},
author = {Thode, Lester E},
abstractNote = {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, 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 relativistic 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 into a small localized region of the high-density plasma target.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1981},
month = {Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1981}
}