Axial and radial measurements of the neutron emission from miniature plasma focus devices

José G. Moreno (1) , Patricio Silva (1) , Leopoldo Soto (1)

1 Plasma Physics and Plasma Technology Laboratory

As first step of a program to design a repetitive pulsed neutron generator for applications two miniature plasma foci have been designed and constructed at the Comisión Chilena de Energía Nuclear. The devices operate at an energy level of the order of tens of joules (PF-50J, 160 nF capacitor bank, 20-35 kV, 32-100 J, ~150 ns time to peak current) and hundred of joules (PF-400J, 880 nF, 20-35 kV, 176-539 J, ~300 ns time to peak current). Neutron emission has been obtained in both devices operating in deuterium. An especial techniques was necessary to develop in order to detect neutron pulsed of 104 neutrons per shot. The maximum total neutron yield measured was of the order of 106 and 104 neutrons per shot in the PF-400J and PF-50J respectively. Axial and radial measurements of the neutron emission are presented and the anisotropy is evaluated in this work. The neutrons are measured by pairs of silver activation counters, 3He detectors and scintillator-photomultiplier detectors.

Domaines: Physique des plasmas [physics.plasm-ph]

José G. Moreno, Patricio Silva, Leopoldo Soto. Axial and radial measurements of the neutron emission from miniature plasma focus devices. 2004. ⟨hal-00001992⟩