Oscillating ions under Inertial Electrostatic Confinement (IEC) based on nanosecond vacuum discharge

Abstract

Neutrons from DD fusion in the interelectrode space of a table-top, low-energy, nanosecond vacuum discharge with a deuterium-loaded Pd anode have been demonstrated earlier. In addition, the principal role of a virtual cathode and the corresponding deep potential well formed in the interelectrode space are recognized under detailed particle-in-cell simulations of the discharge experimental conditions using a fully electrodynamic code. PIC modelling has allowed the identification of the scheme of small-scale experiments with a rather old branch of plasma physics as the inertial electrostatic confinement fusion. The goal of this work is to present and discuss in detail the available experimental results on deuteron oscillations followed by pulsating DD neutron yield in this scheme based on nanosecond vacuum discharge. PIC simulations of some experimental regimes of pulsating neutron yield are also shown and discussed, as well as comparisons with an available similar scheme of periodical oscillating plasmas spheres for fusion. KEYWORDS inertial electrostatic confinement, neutron yield, virtual cathode 1 Contrib. Plasma Phys. 2018;58:952-960 www.cpp-journal.org

Oscillating Plasmas for Proton- Boron Fusion in Miniature Vacuum Discharge

“…An IEC scheme with reverse polarity [21] based on a miniature nanosecond vacuum discharge (NVD) [35][36][37], in which ion oscillations occur quite naturally [38], has a direct relation to this. Te NVD experiments and related PiC simulations began at the turn of the century, and over time, it became clear that some hopes associated with the potential advantages of nuclear fusion in the POPS scheme can be realized partially in a miniature NVD [38][39][40][41]. Te yield of DD neutrons was observed previously and studied in detail in this device [35][36][37][38][39][40][41], and an aneutronic proton-boron synthesis was demonstrated also recently [20].…”

“…Secondly, the electron beams, while fying into the anode space (through the "mesh" of thin Pd tubes) are slowing down as they approach the discharge axis, and then change the direction of movement, thereby forming a VC and the PW corresponding thereto. Tus, the OSCO scheme based on miniature NVD, unlike the rather complex POPS experiment, includes the natural injection of auto-electrons into the anode space, the formation of a very small VC with a radius of r VC ∼0.1 cm, and a corresponding PW with a depth of φ PW ∼50-100 kV [20,41]. Head-on collisions of deuterons accelerated in PW up to ∼100 keV are accompanied by the release of DD neutrons.…”

“…Te NVD experiments and related PiC simulations began at the turn of the century, and over time, it became clear that some hopes associated with the potential advantages of nuclear fusion in the POPS scheme can be realized partially in a miniature NVD [38][39][40][41]. Te yield of DD neutrons was observed previously and studied in detail in this device [35][36][37][38][39][40][41], and an aneutronic proton-boron synthesis was demonstrated also recently [20]. Interestingly, the feld of the virtual cathode confnes the oscillating ions in the NVD, and at the same time, the inertia of the oscillating ions partially holds the electrons of VC by electric felds.…”

“…Interestingly, the feld of the virtual cathode confnes the oscillating ions in the NVD, and at the same time, the inertia of the oscillating ions partially holds the electrons of VC by electric felds. So we have called this type of confnement an electrodynamic or oscillatory one (OSCO) [20,41].…”

“…Tis paper discusses and compares the features and capabilities of oscillating plasmas for nuclear fusion both in the POPS scheme [29,31,34] and the OSCO regime based on NVD [20,[35][36][37][38][39][40][41]. Te study of a fundamental issue for IEC devices with electron injection as neutralization of the spatial charge started for NVD recently [42] and is developing further.…”