Enhanced and reproducible neutron emission from a plasma focus with pre-ionization induced by depleted uranium (U²³⁸)

Abstract

The effect of pre-ionization induced by depleted uranium ( 92 U 238 ) around the insulator sleeve on the neutron emission of (1.8-3.3 kJ) plasma focus device is investigated by employing time resolved and time integrated neutron detectors. The maximum average neutron yield of 2.5×10 8 is recorded at 3.5 mbar without pre-ionization, which increases up to 3.85×10 8 with pre-ionization. It is found that the pre-ionization enhances neutron yield, about (50 ± 5)%, broadens the neutron emission pressure range and improves shot-to-shot reproducibility of plasma focus operation for neutron emission. The pinhole images of charged particles emitting zones indicate that the pre-ionization increases the high temperature plasma volume.

Runaway electrons as a source of impurity and reduced fusion yield in the dense plasma focus

“…Thus, the copper and silver should vaporize but the tungsten should not. Shyam and Rout 5 observed in fact that the mass of impurities for copper and silver was about the same but that copper lost almost 10 times as much mass as tungsten, in agreement with the predictions of inequality (8).…”

Carburizing of zirconium using a low energy Mather type plasma focus

“…It is an excellent and powerful device for the generation of X-rays, neutron, relativistic electron and energetic ion beams [12,18]. The energetic ion beams emitted from the plasma focus device have been used for a variety of applications like surface properties modification, thin film deposition, ion assisted coating and ion implantation [12][13][14][15][16]19,20].…”

Synthesis of nano-crystalline zirconium aluminium oxynitride (ZrAlON) composite films by dense plasma Focus device

“…soft/hard X-rays, neutrons, relativistic electrons and high current, high energy ion beams over a broad energy spectrum [10][11][12][13].…”