Study of Neutron From a Dense Plasma Focus Paco Instrument by Means of Nuclear Tracks Detectors

M.  Milanese; F.  Castillo; M.  Moroso; M.  Barbaglia; J. I.  Golzarri; H.  Martínez; G.  Espinosa

doi:10.15415/jnp.2016.41009

Authors

M. Milanese Instituto de Física ̈Arroyo Seco ̈ Universidad Nacional del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires, Pinto 399, 7000 Tandil Argentina
F. Castillo Instituto de Ciencias Físicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Apartado Postal 48-3, 62251, Cuernavaca, Morelos, México
M. Moroso Instituto de Física ̈Arroyo Seco ̈ Universidad Nacional del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires, Pinto 399, 7000 Tandil Argentina
M. Barbaglia Instituto de Física ̈Arroyo Seco ̈ Universidad Nacional del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires, Pinto 399, 7000 Tandil Argentina
J. I. Golzarri Instituto de Física, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Circuito de la Investigación Científica, Ciudad Universitaria, 04520, México D. F., México
H. Martínez Instituto de Ciencias Físicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Apartado Postal 48-3, 62251, Cuernavaca, Morelos, México
G. Espinosa Instituto de Física, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Circuito de la Investigación Científica, Ciudad Universitaria, 04520, México D. F., México

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.15415/jnp.2016.41009

Keywords:

Plasma focus, neutrons, CR-39, nuclear track detectors

Abstract

A most interesting feature of dense plasma foci is the acceleration of charge particle at energy in the range of MeV per nucleon. Using deuterium gas, this devices produce fusion D-D reactions, generation fast neutron pulses (~ 2.5 MeV). The device used in the present work is a Mather-type dense plasma focus, called PACO. It is a 2kJ device at 31 kV, with an oxygen-free copper anode, 50 mm long with 40 mm diameter. The coaxial cathode is formed by ten copper rods arranged in a squirrel cage configuration at a radius of 50 mm. The insulator in an annular Pyrex® tube located at the base of the anode. The energy store is provided by four 1 μF (40 kV, 40 nH) capacitors in parallel. The plasma focus was operated at 1.5 mb deuterium gas pressure. Neutron and accelerated particles are analyzed with material detectors (CR-39 Lantrack^®) for different conditions. A detailed study is made of track diameters when the plastic is chemically etched with, 6N KOH at 60°C (±1) for 12 h

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Bernard, A., Coudeville, A., Jolas, A., Launspach, J. & De Mascureau, J. Experimental studies of the plasma focus and evidence for non-thermal processes. Phys. Fluids 18,180 (1975). http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.861101

Bernstein, M.J. & Comisar, C.G. Neutron energy and flux distributions from a crossed-field acceleration model of plasma focus and z-pinch discharge.Phys. Fluids 15 700(1972). http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.1693966

Bruzzone, H., et al. Temporal Correlations Between Hard X-Ray and Neutron Pulses in the PACO Plasma Focus Device. IEEE Trans. Plasma Sci. 38 (7), 1592 (2010). http://dx.doi.org/10.1109/TPS.2010.2049274

Castillo, F., et al. Isotropic and anisotropic components of neutron emission at the FN-II and PACO dense plasma focus devices. Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion 45 289 (2003). http://dx.doi.org/10.1088/0741-3335/45/3/309

Castillo, F., Milanese, M., Moroso, R., &Pouzo, J. Evidences of thermal and nonthermal mechanisms coexisting in dense plasma focus D-D nuclear reactions. J. of Phys D: Appl. Phys. 33, 141 (2000). http://dx.doi.org/10.1088/0022-3727/33/2/308

Castillo, F., Milanese, M., Moroso, R., &Pouzo, J. Some experimental research on anisotropic effects in the neutron emission of dense plasma- focus devices. J. Phys. D: Appl. Phys. 30, 1499 (1997). http://dx.doi.org/10.1088/0022-3727/30/10/017

Choi, P., Wong, C.S. & Herold, H. Studies of the spatial and temporal evolution of a dense plasma focus in the x-ray region. Laser Part. Beams. 7, 763 (1989). http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S0263034600006236

Collopy, M.T, et al. Calibration of CR-39 for detecting fusion neutrons. Rev. Sci. Instrum. 63, 4892 (1992). http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.1143542

Durrani, S.A. & Bull, R.K. Solid State Nuclear Track Detection, (Pergamon Press, New York, 1987).

Filippov, N.V., Fillippova, T.I.,&Vinogradov, N.V.Dense high temperature plasma in a non-cylindrical z-pinch compression.Nuclear Fusion Suppl. 2, 577(1962).

Frenjem, J.A.,et al., Absolute measurements of neutron yields from DD and DT implosions at the OMEGA laser facility using CR-39 track detectors. Rev. Sci. Instrum. 73, 2597 (2002). http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.1487889

Gammage, R.B. & Espinosa, G. Digital Imaging System for Track Measurements. Radiat.Meas. 28,835 (1997). http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S1350-4487(97)00193-5

Jäger, U. & Herold, H. Fast ion kinetics and fusion reaction mechanism in the plasma focus. Nuclear Fusion.27, 407 (1987). http://dx.doi.org/10.1088/0029-5515/27/3/006

Jäger, U., Bertalot, L. & Herold, H. Energy spectra and space resolved measurements of fusion reaction protons from plasma focus devices. Rev. Sci. Instrum. 56, 77 (1985). http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.1138483

Mather, J.W. Formation of a high-density deuterium plasma focus.Phys. Fluids, 8, 366 (1965). http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.1761231

Pouzo, J., Cortázar, D., Milanese, M., Moroso, R. &Píriz, A. Limits of deuterium pressure range with neutron production in plasma focus devices. Small Plasma Physics Experiments (World Scientific, London, 1988), p. 80.

Steinmetz, K., Hubner, Rager, J.P. &Robouch, B.V. Neutron pinhole camera investigation on temporal and spatial structures of plasma focus neutron source. Nuclear Fusion, 22, 25 (1982). http://dx.doi.org/10.1088/0029-5515/22/1/003

Tiseanu, I., Mandache, N &Zambreanu V.Energetic and angular characteristics of the reacting deuterons in a plasma focus. Plasma Phys. Control Fission. 36,417(1994). http://dx.doi.org/10.1088/0741-3335/36/3/004