Abstract
Intense pulsed neutron fluences are generated by a high-energy (>10 MeV) proton beam using the beam-target method on the HERMES III facility at Sandia National Laboratories [J. J. Ramirez et al., in Proceedings of the 7th International Conference on High Power Particle Beams (Kernforschungszentrum, Karlsruhe GmbH, Karlsruhe, Germany, 1988), p. 148]. In order to generate the high-energy proton beam, a radial ion diode previously developed and fielded at the 6-MeV level in negative polarity was extended in performance to the 15-MeV level. This performance increase is described along with the development of a more durable hardware set to withstand the much more potent 15-MeV proton beam. An extensive series of simulations is developed to characterize the neutrons produced by the proton–target interaction. Particle-in-cell simulations describe the electron and ion dynamics, while Monte Carlo simulations characterize the neutron output. Due to differing estimates of proton beam voltage and current between the respective simulations, we make an approximate estimate of 13.5-MeV to 15-MeV and 120-kA ion beams at peak power in a 40 ns FWHM pulse. Simulations indicate that a total of 1.7 × 1013 neutrons are generated into 4π. Comparison of the neutron output predictions with a limited set of neutron flux measurements suggests a flux level of ∼1 × 1010 neutrons/cm2 to 10 × 1010 neutrons/cm2 over an approximately few tens of cm2 area at the relevant application location. This effort also contributes to physics understanding of the use of inductive voltage adder platforms to drive ion-beam diode loads.
Highlights
There are at present a number of sources of intense pulsed (
There are neutron sources based upon the dense plasma focus (DPF) process,3 which generally operate with either (D–T) or (D–D) nuclear reactions
This paper demonstrates the first production of intense pulsed neutron fluences generated by a high energy (>10 MeV) proton beam using the beam-target method and the first full-power operation of a radial ion diode on HERMES III at the 15-MeV level
Summary
There are at present a number of sources of intense pulsed (10 MeV) proton beam using the beam-target method and the first full-power operation of a radial ion diode on HERMES III at the 15-MeV level. These results were obtained with the machine’s IVA architecture in negative polarity.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.