Device and method for electron beam heating of a high density plasma
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 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 plasma is ionized prior to application of the electron beam by means of a laser or other preionization source. 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 within the high density plasma target.
- Inventors:
-
- (Los Alamos, NM)
- Issue Date:
- Research Org.:
- Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM
- OSTI Identifier:
- 863908
- Patent Number(s):
- 4272319
- Assignee:
- United States of America as represented by United States (Washington, DC) LANL
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-ENG-36
- Resource Type:
- Patent
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- device; method; electron; beam; heating; density; plasma; relativistic; localized; region; generator; produces; voltage; propagates; vacuum; drift; tube; modulated; initiate; bunching; directed; gas; chamber; provides; isolation; modulator; target; applied; typically; comprises; dt; dd; hydrogen; boron; similar; thermonuclear; 10; 17; 20; electrons; cubic; centimeter; ionized; prior; application; means; laser; preionization; source; utilizing; individual; particle; energy; exceeding; mev; classical; scattering; passing; foils; negligible; result; streaming; instabilities; initiated; causing; efficiently; deposit; relativistic electrons; particle energy; typically comprises; individual particle; beam heating; cubic centimeter; beam target; plasma causing; density plasma; provides isolation; relativistic beam; beam generator; target plasma; relativistic electron; electron beam; 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; generator produces; voltage electron; hydrogen boron; typically comprise; /376/219/
Citation Formats
Thode, Lester E. Device and method for electron beam heating of a high density plasma. United States: N. p., 1981.
Web.
Thode, Lester E. Device and method for electron beam heating of a high density plasma. United States.
Thode, Lester E. Thu .
"Device and method for electron beam heating of a high density plasma". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/863908.
@article{osti_863908,
title = {Device and method for electron beam heating of a high density plasma},
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 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 plasma is ionized prior to application of the electron beam by means of a laser or other preionization source. 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 within the high density plasma target.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {1981},
month = {1}
}