Features of the Radial and Axial Distributions of the Toroidal Magnetic Field in the Axial Jet Ejection at the PF-3 Facility

Plasma Physics Reports - The results of experiments on the study of the features of the dynamics and internal structure of the axial plasma ejection at the PF-3 facility carried out within the...     

Formation of nanostructures in a plasma focus discharge

A new method for creating nanostructures in a plasma focus discharge is proposed. It is shown that the material of a micron-size dust target produced at the discharge axis efficiently evaporates and is then involved in the pinching process. After the pinch decays, the plasma expands with the thermal velocity and the evaporated dust material is deposited on the collectors in the form of fractal particles or nanoclusters organized into various structures. Such structures have a well-developed surface, which is important for various technological applications.     

Spectroscopic measurements of the parameters of the helium plasma jets generated in the plasma focus discharge at the PF-3 facility

The spectroscopic technique used to measure the parameters of the plasma jets generated in the plasma focus discharge and those of the plasma of the immobile gas through which these jets propagate is described. The time evolution of the intensities and shapes of spectral lines in experiments carried out with helium at the PF-3 facility was studied by means of electron-optical streak cameras. The plasma electron temperature, T ≈ 4–5 eV, was determined from the intensity ratio of two spectral lines, one of which (λ₁ = 5876 Å) belongs to neutral helium, while the other (λ₂ = 4686 Å), to hydrogen-like helium ions. The plasma density at different time instants was determined from the Stark broadening of these lines in the electric fields of different nature. The plasma density is found to vary from 4 × 10¹⁴ to 2 × 10¹⁷ cm^?3.     

Laboratory Simulation of the Structure of Jets from Young Stars

Plasma Physics Reports - We present the results of laboratory simulation of jets from young stars at the PF-3 plasma focus facility at the NRC “Kurchatov Institute.” The objective of...     

Investigation of the possibility of exceeding the Greenwald density limit during ECRH in T-10

In T-10 experiments, attempts were made to significantly exceed the Greenwald limit $\bar n_{Gr} $ during high-power (P _ab=750 kW) electron-cyclotron resonance heating (ECRH) and gas puffing. Formally, the density limit $(\bar n_e )_{\lim } $ exceeding the Greenwald limit $({{(\bar n_e )_{\lim } } \mathord{\left/ {\vphantom {{(\bar n_e )_{\lim } } {\bar n_{Gr} }}} \right. \kern-0em} {\bar n_{Gr} }} = 1.8)$ was achieved for q _L=8.2. However, as q _L decreased, the ratio ${{(\bar n_e )_{\lim } } \mathord{\left/ {\vphantom {{(\bar n_e )_{\lim } } {\bar n_{Gr} }}} \right. \kern-0em} {\bar n_{Gr} }}$ also decreased, approaching unity at q _L≈3. It was suggested that the “current radius” (i.e., the radius of the magnetic surface enclosing the bulk of the plasma current I _p), rather than the limiter radius, was the parameter governing the value of $(\bar n_e )_{\lim } $ . In the ECRH experiments, no substantial degradation of plasma confinement was observed up to $\bar n_e \sim 0.9(\bar n_e )_{\lim } $ regardless of the ratio ${{(\bar n_e )_{\lim } } \mathord{\left/ {\vphantom {{(\bar n_e )_{\lim } } {\bar n_{Gr} }}} \right. \kern-0em} {\bar n_{Gr} }}$ . In different scenarios of the density growth up to $(\bar n_e )_{\lim } $ , two types of disruptions related to the density limit were observed.     

Determination of the plasma parameters in the PF-3 facility by the methods of X-ray spectroscopy

NeIX and NeX spectra emitted by the PF-3 high-current (2 MA) plasma focus facility are measured. A numerical model describing the spectral intensities of the emission of helium- and hydrogen-like neon ions from an optically thick plasma is proposed. The electron temperature T _e and electron density n _e in the plasma of the PF-3 facility are determined by comparing the calculated and measured emission spectra of neon.     

Development and study of a portable plasma focus neutron source

The work is devoted to designing a compact pulsed neutron source on the basis of a plasma focus (PF) discharge. The main task was to study the physical processes accompanying a sub-kilojoule repetitive PF discharge. A device with a power supply energy of up to 600 J and pulse repetition rate of up to 10 Hz has been developed and put into operation. The dependence of the neutron yield as a function of the pulse repetition rate has been studied experimentally. A neutron flux of ～10⁸ neutrons/s has been obtained in the 3-s-long packet mode with a repetition rate of 10 Hz and discharge current of 80–90 kA.     

Formation of electron transport barriers under ECR control of the q(r) profile in the T-10 tokamak

Abstract-the formation of transport barriers under electron cyclotron resonance heating and current drive in the t-10 tokamak is studied. in regimes with off-axis co-eccd and q _L <4 at the limiter, a spontaneous transition to improved confinement accompanied by the formation of two electron transport barriers is observed. the improvement resembles an L-H transition. It manifests itself as density growth, a decrease in the D_α emission intensity, and an increase in the central electron and ion temperatures. Two deep wells on the potential profile (the first one at r/a _L ≈0.6, where a _L is the limiter radius, and the second one near the edge) arise during the transition. the internal barrier is formed when dq/dr～0 with q≈1 in the barrier region.     

Study of the implosion of wire arrays at the PF-3 facility

Results of experiments on the compression of tungsten wire arrays by the plasma current sheath (PCS) of the PF-3 facility at currents of up to 2 MA are presented. The efficiency of current transportation to the wire array and switching-over of the discharge current to the array were studied. Information on the penetration of the magnetic field into the wire array obtained using microprobes made it possible to compare the obtained experimental data with the results of magnetic field measurements carried out at other high-power electrophysical devices. The intensity of plasma production from tungsten wires under the action of the plasma focus PCS is estimated. The experimental results are tested against the existing models of wire array implosion with prolonged plasma production.     

Influence of the radiation of the plasma-focus current sheath on the implosion dynamics of condensed targets

Results are presented from experimental and theoretical studies of the influence of the radiation of the plasma-focus current sheath on the implosion dynamics of condensed targets. Radiative losses from the current sheath of a plasma focus in neon, argon, and hydrogen with a 2% admixture of Xe are calculated with allowance for the line, bremsstrahlung, and recombination radiation. It is shown that the temperature of the neon plasma (10–15 eV) is quite sufficient to evaporate Al₂O₃ grains of radii 10–20 μm. The use of neon as a working gas makes it possible to alter the cold-start condition in experiments on the implosion of foam liners.