Beam heated linear theta-pinch device for producing hot plasmas

DOEpatents

Bohachevsky, Ihor O.

1981-01-01

A device for producing hot plasmas comprising a single turn theta-pinch coil, a fast discharge capacitor bank connected to the coil, a fuel element disposed along the center axis of the coil, a predetermined gas disposed within the theta-pinch coil, and a high power photon, electron or ion beam generator concentrically aligned to the theta-pinch coil. Discharge of the capacitor bank generates a cylindrical plasma sheath within the theta-pinch coil which heats the outer layer of the fuel element to form a fuel element plasma layer. The beam deposits energy in either the cylindrical plasma sheath or the fuel element plasma layer to assist the implosion of the fuel element to produce a hot plasma.

Late-time particle emission from laser-produced graphite plasma

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harilal, S. S.; Hassanein, A.; Polek, M.

2011-09-01

We report a late-time "fireworks-like" particle emission from laser-produced graphite plasma during its evolution. Plasmas were produced using graphite targets excited with 1064 nm Nd: yttrium aluminum garnet (YAG) laser in vacuum. The time evolution of graphite plasma was investigated using fast gated imaging and visible emission spectroscopy. The emission dynamics of plasma is rapidly changing with time and the delayed firework-like emission from the graphite target followed a black-body curve. Our studies indicated that such firework-like emission is strongly depended on target material properties and explained due to material spallation caused by overheating the trapped gases through thermal diffusion along the layer structures of graphite.

Molecular formation in the stagnation region of colliding laser-produced plasmas

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Al-Shboul, K. F.; Hassan, S. M.; Harilal, S. S.

2016-10-27

The laser-produced colliding plasmas have numerous attractive applications and stagnation layer formed during collisions between plasmas is a useful system for understanding particle collisions and molecular formation in a controlled way. In this article, we explore carbon dimer formation and its evolutionary paths in a stagnation layer formed during the interaction of two laser-produced plasmas. Colliding laser produced plasmas are generated by splitting a laser beam into two sub-beams and then focus them into either a single flat (laterally colliding plasmas) or a V-shaped graphite targets (orthogonally colliding plasmas). The C2 formation in the stagnation region of both colliding plasmamore » schemes is investigated using optical spectroscopic means and compared with emission features from single seed plasma. Our results show that the collisions among the plasmas followed by the stagnation layer formation lead to rapid cooling causing enhanced carbon dimer formation. In addition, plasma electron temperature, density and C2 molecular temperature were measured for the stagnation zone and compared with seed plasma.« less

PlasmaPy: initial development of a Python package for plasma physics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Murphy, Nicholas; Leonard, Andrew J.; Stańczak, Dominik; Haggerty, Colby C.; Parashar, Tulasi N.; Huang, Yu-Min; PlasmaPy Community

2017-10-01

We report on initial development of PlasmaPy: an open source community-driven Python package for plasma physics. PlasmaPy seeks to provide core functionality that is needed for the formation of a fully open source Python ecosystem for plasma physics. PlasmaPy prioritizes code readability, consistency, and maintainability while using best practices for scientific computing such as version control, continuous integration testing, embedding documentation in code, and code review. We discuss our current and planned capabilities, including features presently under development. The development roadmap includes features such as fluid and particle simulation capabilities, a Grad-Shafranov solver, a dispersion relation solver, atomic data retrieval methods, and tools to analyze simulations and experiments. We describe several ways to contribute to PlasmaPy. PlasmaPy has a code of conduct and is being developed under a BSD license, with a version 0.1 release planned for 2018. The success of PlasmaPy depends on active community involvement, so anyone interested in contributing to this project should contact the authors. This work was partially supported by the U.S. Department of Energy.

Arc initiation in cathodic arc plasma sources

DOEpatents

Anders, Andre

2002-01-01

A "triggerless" arc initiation method and apparatus is based on simply switching the arc supply voltage to the electrodes (anode and cathode). Neither a mechanical trigger electrode nor a high voltage flashover from a trigger electrode is required. A conducting path between the anode and cathode is provided, which allows a hot spot to form at a location where the path connects to the cathode. While the conductive path is eroded by the cathode spot action, plasma deposition ensures the ongoing repair of the conducting path. Arc initiation is achieved by simply applying the relatively low voltage of the arc power supply, e.g. 500 V-1 kV, with the insulator between the anode and cathode coated with a conducting layer and the current at the layer-cathode interface concentrated at one or a few contact points. The local power density at these contact points is sufficient for plasma production and thus arc initiation. A conductive surface layer, such as graphite or the material being deposited, is formed on the surface of the insulator which separates the cathode from the anode. The mechanism of plasma production (and arc initiation) is based on explosive destruction of the layer-cathode interface caused by joule heating. The current flow between the thin insulator coating and cathode occurs at only a few contact points so the current density is high.

Efficient acceleration of neutral atoms in laser produced plasma

DOE PAGES

Dalui, M.; Trivikram, T. M.; Colgan, James Patrick; ...

2017-06-20

Recent advances in high-intensity laser-produced plasmas have demonstrated their potential as compact charge particle accelerators. Unlike conventional accelerators, transient quasi-static charge separation acceleration fields in laser produced plasmas are highly localized and orders of magnitude larger. Manipulating these ion accelerators, to convert the fast ions to neutral atoms with little change in momentum, transform these to a bright source of MeV atoms. The emittance of the neutral atom beam would be similar to that expected for an ion beam. Since intense laser-produced plasmas have been demonstrated to produce high-brightness-low-emittance beams, it is possible to envisage generation of high-flux, low-emittance, highmore » energy neutral atom beams in length scales of less than a millimeter. Here, we show a scheme where more than 80% of the fast ions are reduced to energetic neutral atoms and demonstrate the feasibility of a high energy neutral atom accelerator that could significantly impact applications in neutral atom lithography and diagnostics.« less

Detailed energy distributions in laser-produced plasmas of solid gold and foam gold planar targets

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dong, Yunsong; Department of Engineering Physics, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084; Zhang, Lu

Foam gold was proposed to increase the laser to x-ray conversion efficiency due to its important applications. To understand the mechanism of x-ray enhancement, the detailed energy distributions and plasma profiles for laser-irradiated solid gold and foam gold targets were studied comparatively by hydrodynamic simulations using the code Multi-1D. It is confirmed that the radiation heat wave is subsonic for the normal solid gold target, while supersonic for the foam gold target. The shock wave, which is behind the supersonic radiation heat wave for the foam gold target, generates a plasma temperature gradient with high temperature near the shock wavemore » front to produce an additional net outward radiation for enhancement of the x-ray emission. Much larger inward plasma velocity is also driven by the shock wave as an initial plasma velocity for the laser deposition and electron thermal conduct zone, which decreases the expanding plasma kinetic energy loss and helps to increase the x-ray radiation.« less

Measurements of Electron Density Profiles of Plasmas Produced by Nike KrF Laser for Laser Plasma Instability (LPI) Research

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oh, Jaechul; Weaver, J. L.; Obenschain, S. P.; Schmitt, A. J.; Kehne, D. M.; Karasik, M.; Chan, L.-Y.; Serlin, V.; Phillips, L.

2013-10-01

Knowing spatial profiles of electron density (ne) in the underdense coronal region (n plasma is essential to understanding LPI initiation in inertial confinement fusion research. In the recent Nike LPI experiment, a side-on grid imaging refractometer (GIR) was deployed for measuring the underdense plasma profiles. Plasmas were produced from flat CH targets illuminated by Nike KrF laser with total energies up to 1 kJ of 0.5 ~ 1 nsec FWHM pulses. The GIR resolved ne up to 3 ×1021 /cm3 in space taking 2D snapshot images of probe laser (λ = 263 nm, Δt = 10 ps) beamlets (50 μm spacing) refracted by the plasma at a selected time during the laser illumination. The individual beamlet transmittances were also measured for Te estimation. Time-resolved spectrometers with an absolute-intensity-calibrated photodiode array and a streak camera simultaneously detected light emission from the plasma in spectral ranges relevant to Raman (SRS) and two plasmon decay instabilities. The measured spatial profiles are compared with simulation results from the FAST3D radiation hydrocode and their effects on the LPI observations are investigated. Work supported by DoE/NNSA and performed at Naval Research Laboratory.

The role of current sheet formation in driven plasmoid reconnection in laser-produced plasma bubbles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lezhnin, Kirill; Fox, William; Bhattacharjee, Amitava

2017-10-01

We conduct a multiparametric study of driven magnetic reconnection relevant to recent experiments on colliding magnetized laser produced plasmas using the PIC code PSC. Varying the background plasma density, plasma resistivity, and plasma bubble geometry, the results demonstrate a variety of reconnection behavior and show the coupling between magnetic reconnection and global fluid evolution of the system. We consider both collision of two radially expanding bubbles where reconnection is driven through an X-point, and collision of two parallel fields where reconnection must be initiated by the tearing instability. Under various conditions, we observe transitions between fast, collisionless reconnection to a Sweet-Parker-like slow reconnection to complete stalling of the reconnection. By varying plasma resistivity, we observe the transition between fast and slow reconnection at Lundquist number S 103 . The transition from plasmoid reconnection to a single X-point reconnection also happens around S 103 . We find that the criterion δ /di < 1 is necessary for fast reconnection onset. Finally, at sufficiently high background density, magnetic reconnection can be suppressed, leading to bouncing motion of the magnetized plasma bubbles.

Transient fields produced by a cylindrical electron beam flowing through a plasma

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Firpo, Marie-Christine

2012-10-01

Fast ignition schemes (FIS) for inertial confinement fusion should involve in their final stage the interaction of an ignition beam composed of MeV electrons laser generated at the critical density surface with a dense plasma target. In this study, the out-of-equilibrium situation in which an initially sharp-edged cylindrical electron beam, that could e.g. model electrons flowing within a wire [1], is injected into a plasma is considered. A detailed computation of the subsequently produced magnetic field is presented [2]. The control parameter of the problem is shown to be the ratio of the beam radius to the electron skin depth. Two alternative ways to address analytically the problem are considered: one uses the usual Laplace transform approach, the other one involves Riemann's method in which causality conditions manifest through some integrals of triple products of Bessel functions.[4pt] [1] J.S. Green et al., Surface heating of wire plasmas using laser-irradiated cone geometries, Nature Physics 3, 853--856 (2007).[0pt] [2] M.-C. Firpo, http://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-00695629, to be published (2012).

Measurements of Laser Plasma Instability (LPI) and Electron Density/Temperature Profiles in Plasmas Produced by the Nike KrF Laser

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oh, Jaechul; Weaver, J. L.; Serlin, V.; Obenschain, S. P.

2016-10-01

We will present results of simultaneous measurements of LPI-driven light scattering and density/temperature profiles in CH plasmas produced by the Nike krypton fluoride laser (λ = 248 nm). The primary diagnostics for the LPI measurement are time-resolved spectrometers with absolute intensity calibration in spectral ranges relevant to the optical detection of stimulated Raman scattering or two plasmon decay. The spectrometers are capable of monitoring signal intensity relative to thermal background radiation from plasma providing a useful way to analyze LPI initiation. For further understanding of LPI processes, the recently implemented grid image refractometer (Nike-GIR)a is used to measure the coronal plasma profiles. In this experiment, Nike-GIR is equipped with a 5th harmonic probe laser (λ = 213 nm) in attempt to probe into a high density region over the previous peak density with λ = 263 nm probe light ( 4 ×1021 cm-3). The LPI behaviors will be discussed with the measured data sets. Work supported by DoE/NNSA.

Spectroscopic Studies of Laser Produced Plasma Metasurfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Colon Quinones, Roberto; Underwood, Thomas; Cappelli, Mark

2016-10-01

In this presentation, we describe the spatial and temporal plasma characteristics of the dense plasma kernels that are used to construct a laser produced plasma metasurface (PM) that is intended to serve as a tunable THz reflector. The PM is an n x n array of plasmas generated by focusing the light from a 2 J/p Q-switched Nd:YAG laser through a multi-lens array (MLA) and into a gas of varying pressure. A gated CCD camera coupled to a high-resolution spectrometer is used to obtain chord-averaged H α broadening data for the cross section of a single plasma element at the lens focal point. The data is then Abel inverted to derive the radial plasma density distribution. Measurements are repeated for a range of pressures, laser energies, and lens f-number, with a time resolution of 100 ns and a gate width of 20 ns. Results are presented for the variation of plasma density and size over these different conditions. Work supported by the Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR). R. Colon Quinones and T. Underwood acknowledge the support of the Department of Defense (DoD) through the National Defense Science & Engineering Graduate Fellowship (NDSEG) Program.

Radiation reabsorption in a laser-produced plasma

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brunner, W.; John, R. W.; Paul, H.; Steudel, H.

1988-11-01

Taking into account the emission and absorption of resonance radiation in a recombining laser-produced plasma of intermediate density, the system of rate equations for the population densities coupled with the radiative transfer equation is approximately treated. In the case of spatially varying absorption, an approximate form of the rate equation determining the population density of the upper resonance level is derived. By applying this relation to an axially symmetric plasma, a simple formula that describes the effect of radiation reabsorption on the spatial behavior of the population density is obtained.

Gas-liquid interfacial plasmas producing reactive species for cell membrane permeabilization

PubMed Central

Kaneko, Toshiro; Sasaki, Shota; Takashima, Keisuke; Kanzaki, Makoto

2017-01-01

Gas-liquid interfacial atmospheric-pressure plasma jets (GLI-APPJ) are used medically for plasma-induced cell-membrane permeabilization. In an attempt to identify the dominant factors induced by GLI-APPJ responsible for enhancing cell-membrane permeability, the concentration and distribution of plasma-produced reactive species in the gas and liquid phase regions are measured. These reactive species are classified in terms of their life-span: long-lived (e.g., H2O2), short-lived (e.g., O2•−), and extremely-short-lived (e.g., •OH). The concentration of plasma-produced •OHaq in the liquid phase region decreases with an increase in solution thickness (<1 mm), and plasma-induced cell-membrane permeabilization is found to decay markedly as the thickness of the solution increases. Furthermore, the horizontally center-localized distribution of •OHaq, resulting from the center-peaked distribution of •OH in the gas phase region, corresponds with the distribution of the permeabilized cells upon APPJ irradiation, whereas the overall plasma-produced oxidizing species such as H2O2aq in solution exhibit a doughnut-shaped horizontal distribution. These results suggest that •OHaq is likely one of the dominant factors responsible for plasma-induced cell-membrane permeabilization. PMID:28163376

Gas-liquid interfacial plasmas producing reactive species for cell membrane permeabilization.

PubMed

Kaneko, Toshiro; Sasaki, Shota; Takashima, Keisuke; Kanzaki, Makoto

2017-01-01

Gas-liquid interfacial atmospheric-pressure plasma jets (GLI-APPJ) are used medically for plasma-induced cell-membrane permeabilization. In an attempt to identify the dominant factors induced by GLI-APPJ responsible for enhancing cell-membrane permeability, the concentration and distribution of plasma-produced reactive species in the gas and liquid phase regions are measured. These reactive species are classified in terms of their life-span: long-lived (e.g., H 2 O 2 ), short-lived (e.g., O 2 •- ), and extremely-short-lived (e.g., • OH). The concentration of plasma-produced • OH aq in the liquid phase region decreases with an increase in solution thickness (<1 mm), and plasma-induced cell-membrane permeabilization is found to decay markedly as the thickness of the solution increases. Furthermore, the horizontally center-localized distribution of • OH aq , resulting from the center-peaked distribution of • OH in the gas phase region, corresponds with the distribution of the permeabilized cells upon APPJ irradiation, whereas the overall plasma-produced oxidizing species such as H 2 O 2aq in solution exhibit a doughnut-shaped horizontal distribution. These results suggest that • OH aq is likely one of the dominant factors responsible for plasma-induced cell-membrane permeabilization.

Final Technical Report: Magnetic Reconnection in High-Energy Laser-Produced Plasmas

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Germaschewski, Kai; Fox, William; Bhattacharjee, Amitava

This report describes the final results from the DOE Grant DE-SC0007168, “Fast Magnetic Reconnection in HED Laser-Produced Plasmas.” The recent generation of laboratory high-energy-density physics facilities has opened significant physics opportunities for experimentally modeling astrophysical plasmas. The goal of this proposal is to use these new tools to study fundamental problems in plasma physics and plasma astrophysics. Fundamental topics in this area involve study of the generation, amplification, and fate of magnetic fields, which are observed to pervade the plasma universe and govern its evolution. This project combined experiments at DOE laser facilities with kinetic plasma simulation to study thesemore » processes. The primary original goal of the project was to study magnetic reconnection using a new experimental platform, colliding magnetized laser-produced plasmas. However through a series of fortuitous discoveries, the work broadened out to allow significant advancement on multiple topics in laboratory astrophysics, including magnetic reconnection, Weibel instability, and collisionless shocks.« less

Plasma treatment for producing electron emitters

DOEpatents

Coates, Don Mayo; Walter, Kevin Carl

2001-01-01

Plasma treatment for producing carbonaceous field emission electron emitters is disclosed. A plasma of ions is generated in a closed chamber and used to surround the exposed surface of a carbonaceous material. A voltage is applied to an electrode that is in contact with the carbonaceous material. This voltage has a negative potential relative to a second electrode in the chamber and serves to accelerate the ions toward the carbonaceous material and provide an ion energy sufficient to etch the exposed surface of the carbonaceous material but not sufficient to result in the implantation of the ions within the carbonaceous material. Preferably, the ions used are those of an inert gas or an inert gas with a small amount of added nitrogen.

Relative ion expansion velocity in laser-produced plasmas

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Goldsmith, S.; Moreno, J. C.; Griem, H. R.; Cohen, Leonard; Richardson, M. C.

1988-01-01

The spectra of highly ionized titanium, Ti XIII through Ti XXI, and C VI Lyman lines were excited in laser-produced plasmas. The plasma was produced by uniformly irradiating spherical glass microballoons coated with thin layers of titanium and parylene. The 24-beam Omega laser system produced short, 0.6 ns, and high-intensity, 4 x 10 to the 14th W/sq cm, laser pulses at a wavelength of 351 nm. The measured wavelength for the 2p-3s Ti XIII resonance lines had an average shift of + 0.023 A relative to the C VI and Ti XX spectral lines. No shift was found between the C VI, Ti XIX, and Ti XX lines. The shift is attributed to a Doppler effect, resulting from a difference of (2.6 + or - 0.2) x 10 to the 7th cm/s in the expansion velocities of Ti XIX and Ti XX ions compared to Ti XIII ions.

Plasma puff initiation of high Coulomb transfer switches

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Venable, D. D.; Choi, E. H.

1990-01-01

The plasma-puff triggering mechanism based on a hypocycloidal pinch geometry was investigated to determine the optimal operating conditions for the azimuthally uniform surface flashover which initiates plasma-puff under wide range of fill gas pressure of Ar, He and N2. The optimal fill gas pressure for the azimuthally uniform plasma-puff was about 120 mTorr and 450 Torr for He and N2, and between 120 mTorr and 5 Torr for Ar. The inverse pinch switch was triggered with the plasma-puff and the switching capability under various electrical parameters and working gas pressures of Ar, He and N2 was determined. It was also shown that the azimuthally uniform switching discharges were dependent on the type of fill gas and its fill pressure. A new concept of plasma-focus driven plasma-puff was also discussed in comparison with the hypocycloidal pinch plasma-puff triggering. The main discharge of inverse pinch switch with plasma-focus driven plasma-puff trigger is found to be more azimuthally uniform than that with hypocycloidal pinch plasma-puff trigger in a gas pressure region between 80 mTorr and 1 Torr.

Studies of Magnetic Reconnection in Colliding Laser-Produced Plasmas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rosenberg, Michael

2013-10-01

Novel images of magnetic fields and measurements of electron and ion temperatures have been obtained in the magnetic reconnection region of high- β, laser-produced plasmas. Experiments using laser-irradiated foils produce expanding, hemispherical plasma plumes carrying MG Biermann-battery magnetic fields, which can be driven to interact and reconnect. Thomson-scattering measurements of electron and ion temperatures in the interaction region of two colliding, magnetized plasmas show no thermal enhancement due to reconnection, as expected for β ~ 8 plasmas. Two different proton radiography techniques used to image the magnetic field structures show deformation, pileup, and annihilation of magnetic flux. High-resolution images reveal unambiguously reconnection-induced jets emerging from the interaction region and show instabilities in the expanding plasma plumes and supersonic, hydrodynamic jets due to the plasma collision. Quantitative magnetic flux data show that reconnection in experiments with asymmetry in the scale size, density, temperature, and plasma flow across the reconnection region occurs less efficiently than in similar, symmetric experiments. This result is attributed to disruption of the Hall mechanism mediating collisionless reconnection. The collision of plasmas carrying parallel magnetic fields has also been probed, illustrating the deformation of magnetic field structures in high-energy-density plasmas in the absence of reconnection. These experiments are particularly relevant to high- β reconnection environments, such as the magnetopause. This work was performed in collaboration with C. Li, F. Séguin, A. Zylstra, H. Rinderknecht, H. Sio, J. Frenje, and R. Petrasso (MIT), I. Igumenshchev, V. Glebov, C. Stoeckl, and D. Froula (LLE), J. Ross and R. Town (LLNL), W. Fox (UNH), and A. Nikroo (GA), and was supported in part by the NLUF, FSC/UR, U.S. DOE, LLNL, and LLE.

Research on plasma-puff initiation of high Coulomb transfer switches

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Venable, Demetrius D.; Han, Kwang S.

1993-01-01

The plasma-puff triggering mechanism based on hypocycloidal pinch geometry was investigated to determine the optimal operating conditions for an azimuthally uniform surface flashover which initiates plasma-puff under wide ranges of fill gas pressures of Ar, He and N2. Research is presented and resulting conference papers are attached. These papers include 'Characteristics of Plasma-Puff Trigger for an Inverse-Pinch Plasma Switch'; 'Ultra-High-Power Plasma Switch INPUTS for Pulse Power Systems'; 'Characteristics of Switching Plasma in an Inverse-Pinch Switch'; 'Comparative Study of INPIStron and Spark Gap'; and 'INPIStron Switched Pulsed Power for Dense Plasma Pinches.'

Initial Plasma Testing of the Ion Proportional Surface Emission Cathode

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-07-15

REPRINT 3. DATES COVERED (From - To) 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE Initial Plasma Testing of the Ion Proportional Surface Emission Cathode 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER...substrate and an adjacent metal cathode element. The substrate potential is held positive of the cathode with gate elements. In plasma , the gate is...eliminated due to ambient ion flux which maintains the substrate potential near plasma ground. Prototype devices have been tested using a laboratory plasma

Astrophysical particle acceleration mechanisms in colliding magnetized laser-produced plasmas

DOE PAGES

Fox, W.; Park, J.; Deng, W.; ...

2017-08-11

Significant particle energization is observed to occur in numerous astrophysical environments, and in the standard models, this acceleration occurs alongside energy conversion processes including collisionless shocks or magnetic reconnection. Recent platforms for laboratory experiments using magnetized laser-produced plasmas have opened opportunities to study these particle acceleration processes in the laboratory. Through fully kinetic particle-in-cell simulations, we investigate acceleration mechanisms in experiments with colliding magnetized laser-produced plasmas, with geometry and parameters matched to recent high-Mach number reconnection experiments with externally controlled magnetic fields. 2-D simulations demonstrate significant particle acceleration with three phases of energization: first, a “direct” Fermi acceleration driven bymore » approaching magnetized plumes; second, x-line acceleration during magnetic reconnection of anti-parallel fields; and finally, an additional Fermi energization of particles trapped in contracting and relaxing magnetic islands produced by reconnection. Furthermore, the relative effectiveness of these mechanisms depends on plasma and magnetic field parameters of the experiments.« less

Cost of Purchased Versus Produced Plasma from Donor Recruitment Through Transfusion.

PubMed

Prioli, Katherine M; Pizzi, Laura T; Karp, Julie Katz; Galanis, Taki; Herman, Jay H

2016-10-01

Plasma is used to treat acquired coagulopathy or thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura, or to reverse warfarin effect. Scant data are available, however, about its costs. To estimate total costs of plasma from production through administration, from the perspective of a US hospital blood donor center (BDC). Six sequential decision analytic models were constructed and informed by primary and secondary data on time, tasks, personnel, and supplies for donation, processing, and administration. Expected values of the models were summed to yield the BDC's total cost of producing, preparing, and transfusing plasma. Costs ($US 2015) are reported for a typical patient using three units of plasma. Models assume plasma was obtained from whole blood donation and transfused in an inpatient setting. Univariate sensitivity analyses were performed to test the impact of changing inputs for personnel costs and adverse event (AE) rates and costs. BDC production cost of plasma was $91.24/patient ($30.41/unit), a $30.16/patient savings versus purchased plasma. Administration and monitoring costs totaled $194.64/patient. Sensitivity analyses indicated that modifying BDC personnel costs during donation and processing has little impact on total plasma costs. However, the probability and cost of transfusion-associated circulatory overload (TACO) have a significant impact on costs. Plasma produced by our BDC may be less costly than purchased plasma. Though plasma processes have multiple tasks involving staff time, these are not the largest cost driver. Major plasma-related AEs are uncommon, but are the biggest driver of total plasma costs.

Mechanisms of carbon dimer formation in colliding laser-produced carbon plasmas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sizyuk, Tatyana; Oliver, John; Diwakar, Prasoon K.

2017-07-01

It has been demonstrated that the hot stagnation region formed during the collision of laser-produced carbon plasmas is rich with carbon dimers which have been shown to be synthesized into large carbon macromolecules such as carbon fullerene onions and nanotubes. In this study, we developed and integrated experimental and multidimensional modeling techniques to access the temporal and spatial resolution of colliding plasma characteristics that elucidated the mechanism for early carbon dimer formation. Plume evolution imaging, monochromatic imaging, and optical emission spectroscopy of graphite-produced, carbon plasmas were performed. Experimental results were compared with the results of the 3D comprehensive modeling using our HEIGHTS simulation package. The results are explained based on a fundamental analysis of plasma evolution, colliding layer formation, stagnation, and expansion. The precise mechanisms of the plasma collision, plume propagation, and particle formation are discussed based on the experimental and modeling results.

Adventures in Laser Produced Plasma Research

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Key, M

2006-01-13

In the UK the study of laser produced plasmas and their applications began in the universities and evolved to a current system where the research is mainly carried out at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory Central Laser Facility ( CLF) which is provided to support the universities. My own research work has been closely tied to this evolution and in this review I describe the history with particular reference to my participation in it.

Numerical study of nonequilibrium plasma assisted detonation initiation in detonation tube

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Siyin; Wang, Fang; Che, Xueke; Nie, Wansheng

2016-12-01

Nonequilibrium plasma has shown great merits in ignition and combustion nowadays, which should be especially useful for hypersonic propulsion. A coaxial electrodes configuration was established to investigate the effect of alternating current (AC) dielectric barrier discharge nonequilibrium plasma on the detonation initiation process in a hydrogen-oxygen mixture. A discharge simulation-combustion simulation loosely coupled method was used to simulate plasma assisted detonation initiation. First, the dielectric barrier discharge in the hydrogen-oxygen mixture driven by an AC voltage was simulated, which takes 17 kinds of particles (including positively charged particles, negatively charged particles, and neutral particles) and 47 reactions into account. The temporal and spatial characteristics of the discharge products were obtained. Then, the discharge products were incorporated into the combustion model of a detonation combustor as the initial conditions for the later detonation initiation simulation. Results showed that the number density distributions of plasma species are different in space and time, and develop highly nonuniformly from high voltage electrode to grounded electrode at certain times. All the active species reach their highest concentration at approximately 0.6T (T denotes a discharge cycle). Compared with the no plasma case, the differences of flowfield shape mainly appear in the early stage of the deflagration to detonation transition process. None of the sub-processes (including the very slow combustion, deflagration, over-driven detonation, detonation decay, and propagation of a self-sustained stable detonation wave) have been removed by the plasma. After the formation of a C-J detonation wave, the whole flowfield remains unchanged. With the help of plasma, the deflagration to detonation transition (DDT) time and distance are reduced by about 11.6% and 12.9%, respectively, which should be attributed to the active particles effect of

Optical spectroscopy of laser-produced plasmas for standoff isotopic analysis

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Harilal, Sivanandan S.; Brumfield, Brian E.; LaHaye, Nicole L.

2018-04-20

This review article covers the present status of isotope detection through emission, absorption, and fluorescence spectroscopy of atoms and molecules in a laser-produced plasma formed from a solid sample. A description of the physics behind isotope shifts in atoms and molecules is presented, followed by the physics behind solid sampling of laser ablation plumes, optical methods for isotope measurements, the suitable physical conditions of laser-produced plasma plumes for isotopic analysis, and the current status. Finally, concluding remarks will be made on the existing gaps between previous works in the literature and suggestions for future work.

Optical spectroscopy of laser-produced plasmas for standoff isotopic analysis

DOE PAGES

Harilal, S. S.; Brumfield, B. E.; LaHaye, N. L.; ...

2018-04-20

This review article covers the present status of isotope detection through emission, absorption, and fluorescence spectroscopy of atoms and molecules in a laser-produced plasma formed from a solid sample. A description of the physics behind isotope shifts in atoms and molecules is presented, followed by the physics behind solid sampling of laser ablation plumes, optical methods for isotope measurements, the suitable physical conditions of laser-produced plasma plumes for isotopic analysis, and the current status. Lastly, concluding remarks will be made on the existing gaps between previous works in the literature and suggestions for future work.

Optical spectroscopy of laser-produced plasmas for standoff isotopic analysis

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Harilal, S. S.; Brumfield, B. E.; LaHaye, N. L.

This review article covers the present status of isotope detection through emission, absorption, and fluorescence spectroscopy of atoms and molecules in a laser-produced plasma formed from a solid sample. A description of the physics behind isotope shifts in atoms and molecules is presented, followed by the physics behind solid sampling of laser ablation plumes, optical methods for isotope measurements, the suitable physical conditions of laser-produced plasma plumes for isotopic analysis, and the current status. Lastly, concluding remarks will be made on the existing gaps between previous works in the literature and suggestions for future work.

Optical spectroscopy of laser-produced plasmas for standoff isotopic analysis

DOE PAGES

Harilal, S. S.; Brumfield, B. E.; LaHaye, N. L.; ...

2018-06-01

This review article covers the present status of isotope detection through emission, absorption, and fluorescence spectroscopy of atoms and molecules in a laser-produced plasma formed from a solid sample. A description of the physics behind isotope shifts in atoms and molecules is presented, followed by the physics behind solid sampling of laser ablation plumes, optical methods for isotope measurements, the suitable physical conditions of laser-produced plasma plumes for isotopic analysis, and the current status. Finally, concluding remarks will be made on the existing gaps between previous works in the literature and suggestions for future work.

Optical spectroscopy of laser-produced plasmas for standoff isotopic analysis

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Harilal, S. S.; Brumfield, B. E.; LaHaye, N. L.

This review article covers the present status of isotope detection through emission, absorption, and fluorescence spectroscopy of atoms and molecules in a laser-produced plasma formed from a solid sample. A description of the physics behind isotope shifts in atoms and molecules is presented, followed by the physics behind solid sampling of laser ablation plumes, optical methods for isotope measurements, the suitable physical conditions of laser-produced plasma plumes for isotopic analysis, and the current status. Finally, concluding remarks will be made on the existing gaps between previous works in the literature and suggestions for future work.

Evaluation of initial plasma lactate values as a predictor of gastric necrosis and initial and subsequent plasma lactate values as a predictor of survival in dogs with gastric dilatation-volvulus: 84 dogs (2003-2007).

PubMed

Green, Tiffany I; Tonozzi, Caroline C; Kirby, Rebecca; Rudloff, Elke

2011-02-01

To test whether an initial plasma lactate ≥ 6.0 mmol/L is associated with the presence of macroscopic gastric wall necrosis and overall survival in dogs presenting with gastric dilatation-volvulus (GDV). Additionally, if no association was identified we sought to identify a different predictive initial plasma lactate concentration and to examine whether serial plasma lactate concentrations provide better prediction of survival. Retrospective study over a 5-year period (2003-2007). Urban private referral small animal teaching hospital. Eighty-four client-owned dogs with a diagnosis of GDV and plasma lactate measurements. None. There was no statistically significant relationship found between survival and the presence of macroscopic gastric wall necrosis with the initial plasma lactate ≥ 6 mmol/L. There was a significant relationship between the initial plasma lactate >2.9 mmol/L for predicting necrosis and <4.1 mmol/L for predicting survival to discharge. Forty dogs that had an increased initial plasma lactate (>2.5 mmol/L) also had a subsequent plasma lactate measured within 12 hours of presentation, with 37/40 dogs surviving and 70% of these surviving dogs having the subsequent lactate decrease by ≥ 50% within 12 hours. The 3/40 that died failed to decrease their plasma lactate by ≥ 50% from the initial blood lactate. The results of this study indicate that an initial presenting plasma lactate concentration ≥ 6.0 mmol/L is not predictive of macroscopic gastric wall necrosis or survival in dogs presenting with GDV. A decrease in plasma lactate concentrations ≥ 50% within 12 hours may be a good indicator for survival. Limitations to the study include its retrospective nature, the small number of patients, and the number of dogs that were euthanized rather than allowed to progress to a natural outcome. © Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care Society 2011.

Cracks and nanodroplets produced on tungsten surface samples by dense plasma jets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ticoş, C. M.; Galaţanu, M.; Galaţanu, A.; Luculescu, C.; Scurtu, A.; Udrea, N.; Ticoş, D.; Dumitru, M.

2018-03-01

Small samples of 12.5 mm in diameter made from pure tungsten were exposed to a dense plasma jet produced by a coaxial plasma gun operated at 2 kJ. The surface of the samples was analyzed using a scanning electron microscope (SEM) before and after applying consecutive plasma shots. Cracks and craters were produced in the surface due to surface tensions during plasma heating. Nanodroplets and micron size droplets could be observed on the samples surface. An energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) analysis revealed that the composition of these droplets coincided with that of the gun electrode material. Four types of samples were prepared by spark plasma sintering from powders with the average particle size ranging from 70 nanometers up to 80 μm. The plasma power load to the sample surface was estimated to be ≈4.7 MJ m-2 s-1/2 per shot. The electron temperature and density in the plasma jet had peak values 17 eV and 1.6 × 1022 m-3, respectively.

Inactivation of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli O104:H4 using cold atmospheric pressure plasma.

PubMed

Baier, Matthias; Janssen, Traute; Wieler, Lothar H; Ehlbeck, Jörg; Knorr, Dietrich; Schlüter, Oliver

2015-09-01

From cultivation to the end of the post-harvest chain, heat-sensitive fresh produce is exposed to a variety of sources of pathogenic microorganisms. If contaminated, effective gentle means of sanitation are necessary to reduce bacterial pathogen load below their infective dose. The occurrence of rare or new serotypes raises the question of their tenacity to inactivation processes. In this study the antibacterial efficiency of cold plasma by an atmospheric pressure plasma-jet was examined against the Shiga toxin-producing outbreak strain Escherichia coli O104:H4. Argon was transformed into non-thermal plasma at a power input of 8 W and a gas flow of 5 L min(-1). Basic tests were performed on polysaccharide gel discs, including the more common E. coli O157:H7 and non-pathogenic E. coli DSM 1116. At 5 mm treatment distance and 10(5) cfu cm(-2) initial bacterial count, plasma reduced E. coli O104:H4 after 60 s by 4.6 ± 0.6 log, E. coli O157:H7 after 45 s by 4.5 ± 0.6 log, and E. coli DSM 1116 after 30 s by 4.4 ± 1.1 log. On the surface of corn salad leaves, gentle plasma application at 17 mm reduced 10(4) cfu cm(-2) of E. coli O104:H4 by 3.3 ± 1.1 log after 2 min, whereas E. coli O157:H7 was inactivated by 3.2 ± 1.1 log after 60 s. In conclusion, plasma treatment has the potential to reduce pathogens such as E. coli O104:H4 on the surface of fresh produce. However, a serotype-specific adaptation of the process parameters is required. Copyright © 2015 The Society for Biotechnology, Japan. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Photo-oxidation of Polymers Synthesized by Plasma and Initiated CVD

DOE PAGES

Baxamusa, Salmaan H.; Suresh, Aravind; Ehrmann, Paul; ...

2015-11-09

Plasma polymers are often limited by their susceptibility to spontaneous and photo-oxidation. We show that the unusual photoluminescence (PL) behavior of a plasma polymer of trans-2-butene is correlated with its photoluminescence strength. These photo-processes occur under blue light illumination (λ=405 nm), distinguishing them from traditional ultraviolet degradation of polymers. These photo-active defects are likely formed during the plasma deposition process and we show that a polymer synthesized using initiated (i)CVD, non-plasma method, has 1000× lower PL signal and enhanced photo-stability. In conclusion, non-plasma methods such as iCVD may therefore be a route to overcoming material aging issues that limit themore » adoption of plasma polymers.« less

Effect of a Dusty Layer on Surface-Wave Produced Plasmas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ostrikov, Kostyantyn; Yu, Ming; Xu, Shuyan

2000-10-01

The effect of near-sheath dusts on the RF power loss in a surface-wave sustained gas discharge is studied. The planar plasma is bounded by a dielectric and consists of an inhomogeneous near-wall transition layer (sheath), a dusty plasma layer, and the outer dust-free plasma. The discharge is maintained by high-frequency axially-symmetric surface waves. The surface-wave power loss from the most relevant dissipative mechanisms in typical discharge plasmas is analyzed. Our model allows one to consider the main effects of dust particles on surface-wave produced discharge plasmas. We demonstrate that the dusts released in the discharge can strongly modify the plasma conductivity and lead to a significant redistribution of the total charge. They affect the electron quasi-momenta, but do not absorb the energy transmitted to the plasma through elastic collisions, and therefore they remain cold at the room temperature. It is shown that the improvement of the efficiency of energy transfer from the wave source to the plasma can be achieved by selecting operation regimes when the efficiency of the power loss in the plasma through electron-neutral collisions is higher than that through electron-dust interactions.

Parabolic lithium mirror for a laser-driven hot plasma producing device

DOEpatents

Baird, James K.

1979-06-19

A hot plasma producing device is provided, wherein pellets, singly injected, of frozen fuel are each ignited with a plurality of pulsed laser beams. Ignition takes place within a void area in liquid lithium contained within a pressure vessel. The void in the liquid lithium is created by rotating the pressure vessel such that the free liquid surface of molten lithium therein forms a paraboloid of revolution. The paraboloid functions as a laser mirror with a reflectivity greater than 90%. A hot plasma is produced when each of the frozen deuterium-tritium pellets sequentially arrive at the paraboloid focus, at which time each pellet is illuminated by the plurality of pulsed lasers whose rays pass through circular annuli across the top of the paraboloid. The beams from the lasers are respectively directed by associated mirrors, or by means of a single conical mirror in another embodiment, and by the mirror-like paraboloid formed by the rotating liquid lithium onto the fuel pellet such that the optical flux reaching the pellet can be made to be uniform over 96% of the pellet surface area. The very hot plasma produced by the action of the lasers on the respective singly injected fuel pellets in turn produces a copious quantity of neutrons and X-rays such that the device has utility as a neutron source or as an x-ray source. In addition, the neutrons produced in the device may be utilized to produce tritium in a lithium blanket and is thus a mechanism for producing tritium.

Convection of Plasmaspheric Plasma into the Outer Magnetosphere and Boundary Layer Region: Initial Results

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ober, Daniel M.; Horwitz, J. L.

1998-01-01

We present initial results on the modeling of the circulation of plasmaspheric-origin plasma into the outer magnetosphere and low-latitude boundary layer (LLBL), using a dynamic global core plasma model (DGCPM). The DGCPM includes the influences of spatially and temporally varying convection and refilling processes to calculate the equatorial core plasma density distribution throughout the magnetosphere. We have developed an initial description of the electric and magnetic field structures in the outer magnetosphere region. The purpose of this paper is to examine both the losses of plasmaspheric-origin plasma into the magnetopause boundary layer and the convection of this plasma that remains trapped on closed magnetic field lines. For the LLBL electric and magnetic structures we have adopted here, the plasmaspheric plasma reaching the outer magnetosphere is diverted anti-sunward primarily along the dusk flank. These plasmas reach X= -15 R(sub E) in the LLBL approximately 3.2 hours after the initial enhancement of convection and continues to populate the LLBL for 12 hours as the convection electric field diminishes.

Plasma observations near Saturn - Initial results from Voyager 2

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bridge, H. S.; Bagenal, F.; Belcher, J. W.; Lazarus, A. J.; Mcnutt, R. L.; Sullivan, J. D.; Gazis, P. R.; Hartle, R. E.; Ogilvie, K. W.; Scudder, J. D.

1982-01-01

Results of plasma measurements made by Voyager 2 in the vicinity of Saturn are discussed and compared with those made by Pioneer 11 and Voyager 1 in a more limited range of latitudes. The initial bow shock crossing on the inbound trajectory closely agreed with the shock position inferred from the external ram pressure in the solar wind, although boundaries on the outbound pass were much further out than expected. Magnetospheric plasma observations reveal the presence of (1) shocked solar wind plasma in the magnetosheath between 30 and 22 Saturn radii; (2) a variable density region between 17 Saturn radii and the magnetopause; (3) an extended thick plasma sheet between 17 and 7 Saturn radii; and (4) an inner plasma torus probably originating from local sources. The ratio of heavy to light ions was observed to vary with distance to the equatorial plane in the dayside magnetosphere, with the heavy ions, probably O(+), more closely confined to the equatorial plane. The plasma data also account for the observed inner boundary of the neutral hydrogen torus discovered by Voyager 1.

Quasi-steady-state air plasma channel produced by a femtosecond laser pulse sequence

PubMed Central

Lu, Xin; Chen, Shi-You; Ma, Jing-Long; Hou, Lei; Liao, Guo-Qian; Wang, Jin-Guang; Han, Yu-Jing; Liu, Xiao-Long; Teng, Hao; Han, Hai-Nian; Li, Yu-Tong; Chen, Li-Ming; Wei, Zhi-Yi; Zhang, Jie

2015-01-01

A long air plasma channel can be formed by filamentation of intense femtosecond laser pulses. However, the lifetime of the plasma channel produced by a single femtosecond laser pulse is too short (only a few nanoseconds) for many potential applications based on the conductivity of the plasma channel. Therefore, prolonging the lifetime of the plasma channel is one of the key challenges in the research of femtosecond laser filamentation. In this study, a unique femtosecond laser source was developed to produce a high-quality femtosecond laser pulse sequence with an interval of 2.9 ns and a uniformly distributed single-pulse energy. The metre scale quasi-steady-state plasma channel with a 60–80 ns lifetime was formed by such pulse sequences in air. The simulation study for filamentation of dual femtosecond pulses indicated that the plasma channel left by the previous pulse was weakly affected the filamentation of the next pulse in sequence under our experimental conditions. PMID:26493279

Astrophysics of magnetically collimated jets generated from laser-produced plasmas.

PubMed

Ciardi, A; Vinci, T; Fuchs, J; Albertazzi, B; Riconda, C; Pépin, H; Portugall, O

2013-01-11

The generation of astrophysically relevant jets, from magnetically collimated, laser-produced plasmas, is investigated through three-dimensional, magnetohydrodynamic simulations. We show that for laser intensities I∼10(12)-10(14) W cm(-2), a magnetic field in excess of ∼0.1  MG, can collimate the plasma plume into a prolate cavity bounded by a shock envelope with a standing conical shock at its tip, which recollimates the flow into a supermagnetosonic jet beam. This mechanism is equivalent to astrophysical models of hydrodynamic inertial collimation, where an isotropic wind is focused into a jet by a confining circumstellar toruslike envelope. The results suggest an alternative mechanism for a large-scale magnetic field to produce jets from wide-angle winds.

Robe Development for Electrical Conductivity Analysis in an Electron Gun Produced Helium Plasma

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bragg-Sitton, Shannon M.; Bitteker, Leo; Rodgers, Stephen L. (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

The use of magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) power conversion systems, potentially coupled with a fission power source, is currently being investigated as a driver for an advanced propulsion system, such as a plasma thruster. The efficiency of a MHD generator is strongly dependent on the electrical conductivity of the fluid that passes through the generator; power density increases as fluid conductivity increases. Although traditional MHD flows depend on thermal ionization to enhance the electrical conductivity, ionization due to nuclear interactions may achieve a comparable or improved conductivity enhancement while avoiding many of the limitations inherent to thermal ionization. Calculations suggest that nuclear-enhanced electrical conductivity increases as the neutron flux increases; conductivity of pure He-3 greater than 10 mho/m may be achievable if exposed to a flux greater than 10(exp 12) neutrons/cm2/s.) However, this remains to be demonstrated experimentally. An experimental facility has been constructed at the Propulsion Research Center at the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, using helium as the test fluid. High energy electrons will be used to simulate the effects of neutron-induced ionization of helium gas to produce a plasma. These experiments will be focused on diagnosis of the plasma in a virtually static system; results will be applied to future tests with a MHD system. Initial experiments will utilize a 50 keV electron gun that can operate at up to a current of 200 micro A. Spreading the electron beam over a four inch diameter window results in an electron flux of 1.5x 10(exp 13) e/sq cm/s. The equivalent neutron flux that would produce the same ionization fraction in helium is 1x10(exp 12) n/sq cm/s. Experiments will simulate the neutron generated plasma modeled by Bitteker, which takes into account the products of thermal neutron absorption in He-3, and includes various ion species in estimating the conductivity of the resulting plasma. Several

Scaling mechanisms of vapour/plasma shielding from laser-produced plasmas to magnetic fusion regimes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sizyuk, Tatyana; Hassanein, Ahmed

2014-02-01

The plasma shielding effect is a well-known mechanism in laser-produced plasmas (LPPs) reducing laser photon transmission to the target and, as a result, significantly reducing target heating and erosion. The shielding effect is less pronounced at low laser intensities, when low evaporation rate together with vapour/plasma expansion processes prevent establishment of a dense plasma layer above the surface. Plasma shielding also loses its effectiveness at high laser intensities when the formed hot dense plasma plume causes extensive target erosion due to radiation fluxes back to the surface. The magnitude of emitted radiation fluxes from such a plasma is similar to or slightly higher than the laser photon flux in the low shielding regime. Thus, shielding efficiency in LPPs has a peak that depends on the laser beam parameters and the target material. A similar tendency is also expected in other plasma-operating devices such as tokamaks of magnetic fusion energy (MFE) reactors during transient plasma operation and disruptions on chamber walls when deposition of the high-energy transient plasma can cause severe erosion and damage to the plasma-facing and nearby components. A detailed analysis of these abnormal events and their consequences in future power reactors is limited in current tokamak reactors. Predictions for high-power future tokamaks are possible only through comprehensive, time-consuming and rigorous modelling. We developed scaling mechanisms, based on modelling of LPP devices with their typical temporal and spatial scales, to simulate tokamak abnormal operating regimes to study wall erosion, plasma shielding and radiation under MFE reactor conditions. We found an analogy in regimes and results of carbon and tungsten erosion of the divertor surface in ITER-like reactors with erosion due to laser irradiation. Such an approach will allow utilizing validated modelling combined with well-designed and well-diagnosed LPP experimental studies for predicting

Investigation of temporal-resolved emission spectra of highly charged Al ions from laser-produced plasmas

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Su, M. G., E-mail: sumg@nwnu.edu.cn; Sun, D. X.; Dong, C. Z.

2016-03-15

Temporal evolution of extreme ultraviolet emission from laser-produced aluminum (Al) plasma has been experimentally and theoretically investigated. Al plasmas have been measured by using the temporal-spatially resolved laser-produced plasma technique. The emission lines can be identified from 2p-3s, 3d, 4s, 4d, 5d transition lines from Al{sup 3+} to Al{sup 6+} ions. In order to quickly diagnose the plasma, the assumptions of a normalized Boltzmann distribution among the excited states and a steady-state collisional-radiative model are used to estimate the values of electron temperature and electron density in plasma. We succeeded in reproducing the simulated spectra related to the different timemore » delays, which are in good agreement with experiments. Temporal evolution behavior of highly charged Al ions in plasma has been analyzed, and the exponential decay about electron temperature and electron density has been obtained. The results indicate that the temporal-spatially resolved measurement is essential for accurate understanding of evolution behavior of highly charged ions in laser-produced plasmas.« less

Optimizing laser produced plasmas for efficient extreme ultraviolet and soft X-ray light sources

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sizyuk, Tatyana; Hassanein, Ahmed

2014-08-01

Photon sources produced by laser beams with moderate laser intensities, up to 1014 W/cm2, are being developed for many industrial applications. The performance requirements for high volume manufacture devices necessitate extensive experimental research supported by theoretical plasma analysis and modeling predictions. We simulated laser produced plasma sources currently being developed for several applications such as extreme ultraviolet lithography using 13.5% ± 1% nm bandwidth, possibly beyond extreme ultraviolet lithography using 6.× nm wavelengths, and water-window microscopy utilizing 2.48 nm (La-α) and 2.88 nm (He-α) emission. We comprehensively modeled plasma evolution from solid/liquid tin, gadolinium, and nitrogen targets as three promising materials for the above described sources, respectively. Results of our analysis for plasma characteristics during the entire course of plasma evolution showed the dependence of source conversion efficiency (CE), i.e., laser energy to photons at the desired wavelength, on plasma electron density gradient. Our results showed that utilizing laser intensities which produce hotter plasma than the optimum emission temperatures allows increasing CE for all considered sources that, however, restricted by the reabsorption processes around the main emission region and this restriction is especially actual for the 6.× nm sources.

Plasma reforming and partial oxidation of hydrocarbon fuel vapor to produce synthesis gas and/or hydrogen gas

DOEpatents

Kong, Peter C.; Detering, Brent A.

2003-08-19

Methods and systems for treating vapors from fuels such as gasoline or diesel fuel in an internal combustion engine, to form hydrogen gas or synthesis gas, which can then be burned in the engine to produce more power. Fuel vapor, or a mixture of fuel vapor and exhaust gas and/or air, is contacted with a plasma, to promote reforming reactions between the fuel vapor and exhaust gas to produce carbon monoxide and hydrogen gas, partial oxidation reactions between the fuel vapor and air to produce carbon monoxide and hydrogen gas, or direct hydrogen and carbon particle production from the fuel vapor. The plasma can be a thermal plasma or a non-thermal plasma. The plasma can be produced in a plasma generating device which can be preheated by contact with at least a portion of the hot exhaust gas stream, thereby decreasing the power requirements of the plasma generating device.

Producing Hydrogen by Plasma Pyrolysis of Methane

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Atwater, James; Akse, James; Wheeler, Richard

2010-01-01

Plasma pyrolysis of methane has been investigated for utility as a process for producing hydrogen. This process was conceived as a means of recovering hydrogen from methane produced as a byproduct of operation of a life-support system aboard a spacecraft. On Earth, this process, when fully developed, could be a means of producing hydrogen (for use as a fuel) from methane in natural gas. The most closely related prior competing process - catalytic pyrolysis of methane - has several disadvantages: a) The reactor used in the process is highly susceptible to fouling and deactivation of the catalyst by carbon deposits, necessitating frequent regeneration or replacement of the catalyst. b) The reactor is highly susceptible to plugging by deposition of carbon within fixed beds, with consequent channeling of flow, high pressure drops, and severe limitations on mass transfer, all contributing to reductions in reactor efficiency. c) Reaction rates are intrinsically low. d) The energy demand of the process is high.

Spectroscopic Analysis and Thomson Scattering Diagnostics of Wire Produced Plasma

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Plechaty, Christopher; Sotnikov, Vladimir; Main, Daniel; Caplinger, James; Wallerstein, Austin; Kim, Tony

2014-10-01

The Lower Hybrid Drift Instability (LHDI) in plasma is driven by the presence of inhomogeneities in density, temperature, or magnetic field (Krall 1971, Davidson 1977), and occurs in systems where the electrons are magnetized and the ions are effectively unmagnetized. The LHDI is thought to occur in magnetic reconnection (Huba 1977), and has also been investigated as a mitigation technique which can allow for communications to take place through the plasma formed around hypersonic aircraft (Sotnikov 2010). To further understand the phenomenology of the LHDI, we plan to carry out experiments at the Air Force Research Laboratory, in the newly formed Plasma Physics Sensors Laboratory. In experiment, a pulsed power generator is employed to produce plasma by passing current through single, or dual-wire configurations. To characterize the plasma, a Thomson scattering diagnostic is employed, along with a visible spectroscopy diagnostic. This work was performed under the auspices of the U.S. Department of Defense by Riverside Research under Contract BAA-FA8650-13-C-1539.

Plasma Reforming And Partial Oxidation Of Hydrocarbon Fuel Vapor To Produce Synthesis Gas And/Or Hydrogen Gas

DOEpatents

Kong, Peter C.; Detering, Brent A.

2004-10-19

Methods and systems are disclosed for treating vapors from fuels such as gasoline or diesel fuel in an internal combustion engine, to form hydrogen gas or synthesis gas, which can then be burned in the engine to produce more power. Fuel vapor, or a mixture of fuel vapor and exhaust gas and/or air, is contacted with a plasma, to promote reforming reactions between the fuel vapor and exhaust gas to produce carbon monoxide and hydrogen gas, partial oxidation reactions between the fuel vapor and air to produce carbon monoxide and hydrogen gas, or direct hydrogen and carbon particle production from the fuel vapor. The plasma can be a thermal plasma or a non-thermal plasma. The plasma can be produced in a plasma generating device which can be preheated by contact with at least a portion of the hot exhaust gas stream, thereby decreasing the power requirements of the plasma generating device.

Apparatus and method to enhance X-ray production in laser produced plasmas

DOEpatents

Augustoni, A.L.; Gerardo, J.B.; Raymond, T.D.

1992-12-29

Method and apparatus for generating x-rays for use in, for instance, x-ray photolithography is disclosed. The method of generating x-rays includes the steps of providing a target and irradiating the target with a laser system which produces a train of sub-pulses to generate an x-ray producing plasma. The sub-pulses are of both high intensity and short duration. The apparatus for generating x-rays from a plasma includes a vacuum chamber, a target supported within the chamber and a laser system, including a short storage time laser. 8 figs.

Apparatus and method to enhance X-ray production in laser produced plasmas

DOEpatents

Augustoni, Arnold L.; Gerardo, James B.; Raymond, Thomas D.

1992-01-01

Method and apparatus for generating x-rays for use in, for instance, x-ray photolithography. The method of generating x-rays includes the steps of providing a target and irradiating the target with a laser system which produces a train of sub-pulses to generate an x-ray producing plasma. The sub-pulses are of both high intensity and short duration. The apparatus for generating x-rays from a plasma includes a vacuum chamber, a target supported within the chamber and a laser system, including a short storage time laser.

The magnetically driven plasma jet produces a pressure of 33 GPa on PTS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Qiang; Dan, Jiakun; Wang, Guilin; Guo, Shuai; Zhang, Siqun; Cai, Hongchun; Ren, Xiao; Wang, Kunlun; Zhou, Shaotong; Zhang, Zhaohui; Huang, Xianbin

2017-01-01

We report on experiments in which a magnetically driven plasma jet was used to hit a 500 μm thick planar aluminum target. The plasma jet was produced by using a 50 μm thick aluminum radial foil, which was subjected to 4 MA, 90 ns rising time current on the primary test stand pulsed power facility. The subsequent magnetic bubbles propagate with radial velocity reaching 200 km/s and an axial velocity of 230 km/s. After the plasma knocks onto the target, a shock forms in the target. When the shock gets to the backside of the target, we measure the velocity of the moving surface using dual laser heterodyne velocimetry. By using the Hugoniot relations, we know that the plasma jet produced a pressure of 33 GPa. According to the measured pressure and the velocity of the plasma jet, the density of the jet can be also roughly estimated.

The diagnostics of ultra-short pulse laser-produced plasma

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roth, Markus

2011-09-01

Since the invention of the laser, coherent light has been used to break down solid or gaseous material and transform it into a plasma. Over the last three decades two things have changed. Due to multiple advancements and design of high power lasers it is now possible to increase the electric and magnetic field strength that pushed the electron motion towards the regime of relativistic plasma physics. Moreover, due to the short pulse duration of the driving laser the underlying physics has become so transient that concepts like thermal equilibrium (even a local one) or spatial isotropy start to fail. Consequently short pulse laser-driven plasmas have become a rich source of new phenomena that we are just about beginning to explore. Such phenomena, like particle acceleration, nuclear laser-induced reactions, the generation of coherent secondary radiation ranging from THz to high harmonics and the production of attosecond pulses have excited an enormous interest in the study of short pulse laser plasmas. The diagnostics of such ultra-short pulse laser plasmas is a challenging task that involves many and different techniques compared to conventional laser-produced plasmas. While this review cannot cover the entire field of diagnostics that has been developed over the last years, we will try to give a summarizing description of the most important techniques that are currently being used.

Standoff analysis of laser-produced plasmas using laser-induced fluorescence

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Harilal, S. S.; Brumfield, B. E.; Phillips, M. C.

We report the use of laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) of laser ablation plumes for standoff applications. The standoff analysis of Al species, as major and minor species in samples, is performed in a nanosecond laser-produced plasma created at a distance ~10 m. The LIF analysis is performed by resonantly exciting an Al transition at 394.4 nm using a continuous wave (cw) tunable laser and by collecting the direct-line fluorescence signal at 396.15 nm. The spectral resolution of LIF is obtained by scanning the cw tunable LIF laser across the selected Al transition. Our results highlight that LIF provides enhanced signal intensity,more » emission persistence, and spectral resolution when compared to thermally-excited emission, and these are crucial considerations for using laser-produced plasma for standoff isotopic analysis.« less

Evaluation of Low-Pressure Cold Plasma for Disinfection of ISS Grown Produce and Metallic Instrumentation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hintze, Paul E.; Franco, Carolina; Hummerick, Mary E.; Maloney, Phil R.; Spencer, Lashelle E.

2017-01-01

Cold plasma (CP) cleaning is a dry, non-thermal process, which can provide broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity yet reportedly causes little to no damage to the object being sanitized. Since cold plasma uses no liquids, it has the distinct advantage when used in microgravity of not having to separate liquids from the item being cleaned. This paper will present results on an effort to use low pressure CP to disinfect or sterilize materials for in space applications. Exposure times from 0 to 60 minutes and pressures ranging from 0.10 to 1.0 mbar were used to optimize plasma parameters. Tests were done on produce and metal coupons to simulate medical equipment. Escherichia coli was used as the challenge organism on produce and Bacillus pumilus SAFR-32 was used on metal surfaces. Produce testing was not successful, with unacceptable kill rates and the produce being negatively impacted by exposure to the plasma. The plasma caused a 5 log reduction in the number of viable bacteria on metal coupon tests, which placed the number of viable bacteria below the detection limit. This is a very promising result showing that sterilization of medical equipment with cold plasma is feasible. Scanning Electron Microscope images were taken before and after exposure. The images after plasma exposure show that the bacteria spores have been physically affected, as their size has gotten smaller and their appearance has changed.

Electron-Beam Produced Air Plasma: Optical Measurement of Beam Current

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vidmar, Robert; Stalder, Kenneth; Seeley, Megan

2006-10-01

Experiments to quantify the electron beam current and distribution of beam current in air plasma are discussed. The air plasma is produced by a 100-keV 10-mA electron beam source that traverses a transmission window into a chamber with air as a target gas. Air pressure is between 1 mTorr and 760 Torr. Strong optical emissions due to electron impact ionization are observed for the N2 2^nd positive line at 337.1 nm and the N2^+ 1^st negative line at 391.4 nm. Calibration of optical emissions using signals from the isolated transmission window and a Faraday plate are discussed. The calibrated optical system is then used to quantify the electron distribution in the air plasma.

Optical spectroscopy of laser-produced plasmas for standoff isotopic analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harilal, S. S.; Brumfield, B. E.; LaHaye, N. L.; Hartig, K. C.; Phillips, M. C.

2018-06-01

Rapid, in-field, and non-contact isotopic analysis of solid materials is extremely important to a large number of applications, such as nuclear nonproliferation monitoring and forensics, geochemistry, archaeology, and biochemistry. Presently, isotopic measurements for these and many other fields are performed in laboratory settings. Rapid, in-field, and non-contact isotopic analysis of solid material is possible with optical spectroscopy tools when combined with laser ablation. Laser ablation generates a transient vapor of any solid material when a powerful laser interacts with a sample of interest. Analysis of atoms, ions, and molecules in a laser-produced plasma using optical spectroscopy tools can provide isotopic information with the advantages of real-time analysis, standoff capability, and no sample preparation requirement. Both emission and absorption spectroscopy methods can be used for isotopic analysis of solid materials. However, applying optical spectroscopy to the measurement of isotope ratios from solid materials presents numerous challenges. Isotope shifts arise primarily due to variation in nuclear charge distribution caused by different numbers of neutrons, but the small proportional nuclear mass differences between nuclei of various isotopes lead to correspondingly small differences in optical transition wavelengths. Along with this, various line broadening mechanisms in laser-produced plasmas and instrumental broadening generated by the detection system are technical challenges frequently encountered with emission-based optical diagnostics. These challenges can be overcome by measuring the isotope shifts associated with the vibronic emission bands from molecules or by using the techniques of laser-based absorption/fluorescence spectroscopy to marginalize the effect of instrumental broadening. Absorption and fluorescence spectroscopy probe the ground state atoms existing in the plasma when it is cooler, which inherently provides narrower

System to continuously produce carbon fiber via microwave assisted plasma processing

DOEpatents

White, Terry L [Knoxville, TN; Paulauskas, Felix L [Knoxville, TN; Bigelow, Timothy S [Knoxville, TN

2010-11-02

A system to continuously produce fully carbonized or graphitized carbon fibers using microwave-assisted plasma (MAP) processing comprises an elongated chamber in which a microwave plasma is excited in a selected gas atmosphere. Fiber is drawn continuously through the chamber, entering and exiting through openings designed to minimize in-leakage of air. There is a gradient of microwave power within the chamber with generally higher power near where the fiber exits and lower power near where the fiber enters. Polyacrylonitrile (PAN), pitch, or any other suitable organic/polymeric precursor fibers can be used as a feedstock for the inventive system. Oxidized or partially oxidized PAN or pitch or other polymeric fiber precursors are run continuously through a MAP reactor in an inert, non-oxidizing atmosphere to heat the fibers, drive off the unwanted elements such as oxygen, nitrogen, and hydrogen, and produce carbon or graphite fibers faster than conventionally produced carbon fibers.

Energetics of oriented nuclei in laser-produced plasma

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Belyaev, Vadim S.

2004-06-01

The report presents principal theoretical and experimental results obtained during the first year of the ISTC project # 2155 realization. The mechanisms of high-energy electrons formation in high intensity and short laser pulse interaction with solid targets has been suggested and investigated. Neutron generation (reaction D + D --> 3He + n) from laser-produced plasma at 1017 W/cm2 intensity has been investigated. Neutron yield more than 104 per pulse was received.

Treatment Characteristics of Polysaccharides and Endotoxin Using Oxygen Plasma Produced by RF Discharge

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kitazaki, Satoshi; Hayashi, Nobuya; Goto, Masaaki

Treatment of polysaccharides and endotoxin were attempted using oxygen plasma produced by RF discharge. Oxygen radicals observed by optical light emission spectra are factors of decomposition of polysaccharides and endotoxin. Fourier transform infrared spectra indicate that most of chemical bonds in the polysaccharides are dissociated after irradiation of the oxygen plasma. Also, the decomposition rate of endotoxin was approximately 90% after irradiation of the oxygen plasma for 180 min.

Treatment Characteristics of Polysaccharides and Endotoxin Using Oxygen Plasma Produced by RF Discharge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kitazaki, Satoshi; Hayashi, Nobuya; Goto, Masaaki

2010-10-01

Treatment of polysaccharides and endotoxin were attempted using oxygen plasma produced by RF discharge. Oxygen radicals observed by optical light emission spectra are factors of decomposition of polysaccharides and endotoxin. Fourier transform infrared spectra indicate that most of chemical bonds in the polysaccharides are dissociated after irradiation of the oxygen plasma. Also, the decomposition rate of endotoxin was approximately 90% after irradiation of the oxygen plasma for 180 min.

Light scattering measurements with Titan's aerosols analogues produced by dusty plasma

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hadamcik, E.; Renard, J.-B.; Szopa, C.; Cernogora, G.; Levasseur-Regourd, A. C.

The Titan s atmosphere contains solid aerosols produced by the photochemistry of nitrogen and methane These aerosols are at the origin of the characteristic brown yellow colour of Titan During the descent of the Huygens probe the 14 th January 2005 optical measurements of the Titan s haze and Titan s surface have been done In order to explain the obtained results laboratory simulations are necessary We produce analogues of the Titan s aerosols in a RF capacitively coupled low-pressure plasma in a N 2 --CH 4 mixture representative of the Titan s atmosphere Szopa et al 2006 Szopa et al this conference The morphology of the produced solid aerosols is observed by SEM analyses They are quasi spherical and their mean size is function of the plasma conditions Moreover their colour changes from yellow to brown as a function of CH 4 ratio in the plasma In order to have information on the optical properties of the produced aerosols measurements have been performed with the PROGRA2 experiment Renard et al 2002 The PROGRA2 experiment measures the phase dependence of the linear polarization of the light scattered by dust particles for two wavelengths 543 5 nm and 632 8 nm The particles are lifted either in microgravity in the CNES ESA dedicated airplane or by an air-draught in ground-based conditions The aim of this work is to build a database for further modelling of the optical properties of Titan s in connection with the Huygens data These particles have also an astrophysical interest as organic compounds Hadamcik et

Plasma-puff initiation of high Coulomb transfer switches

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Han, Kwang S.; Venable, Demetrius D.; Lee, Ja H.; Choi, Eun H.; Kim, Y. K.; Kim, J. H.; Nguyen, D. X.

1993-01-01

The plasma-puff triggering mechanism based on a hypocycloidal pinch geometry was investigated to determine the optimal operating conditions for an azimuthally uniform surface flashover which initiates plasma-puff under wide ranges of fill gas pressures of Ar, He and N2. The optimal fill gas pressures for the azimuthally uniform plasma-puff were about 120 mTorr less than P(sub opt) less than 450 Torr for He and N2. For Argon 20 mTorr is less than P(sub opt) is less than 5 Torr. The inverse pinch switch was triggered with the plasma-puff and the switching capability under various electrical parameters and working gas pressures of Ar, He and N2 was determined. It was also shown that the azimuthally uniform switching discharges were dependent on the type of fill gas and its fill pressure. A new concept of plasma-focus driven plasma-puff was also discussed in comparison with hypocycloidal pinch plasma-puff triggering. The main discharge of the inverse pinch switch with the plasma-focus driven plasma-puff trigger is found to be more azimuthally uniform than that with the hypocycloidal pinch plasma-puff trigger in a gas pressure region between 80 mTorr and 1 Torr. In order to assess the effects of plasma current density on material erosion of electrodes, emissions from both an inverse-pinch plasma switch (INPIStron) and from a spark gap switch under test were studied with an optical multichannel analyzer (OMA). The color temperature of the argon plasma was approximately 4,000 K which corresponded with the peak continuum emission near 750 nm. There are the strong line emissions of argon in the 650 - 800 nm range and a lack of line emissions of copper and other solid material used in the switch. This indicates that the plasma current density during closing is low and the hot spot or hot filament in the switch is negligible. This result also indicates considerable reduction of line emission with the INPIStron switch over that of a spark-gap switch. However, a strong carbon

Plasma-puff initiation of high Coulomb transfer switches

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Venable, D. D.; Han, K. S.

1993-01-01

The plasma-puff triggering mechanism based on a hypocycloidal pinch geometry was investigated to determine the optimal operating conditions for an azimuthally uniform surface flashover which initiates plasma-puff under wide ranges of fill gas pressures of Ar, He and N2. The optimal fill gas pressures for the azimuthally uniform plasma-puff were about 120 mTorr less than P(opt) less than 450 Torr for He and N2. For Argon 120 mTorr less than P(opt) less than 5 Torr for argon. The inverse pinch switch was triggered with the plasma-puff and the switching capability under various electrical parameters and working gas pressures of Ar, He and N2 was determined. It was also shown that the azimuthally uniform switching discharges were dependent on the type of fill gas and its fill pressure. A new concept of plasma-focus driven plasma-puff was also discussed in comparison with hypocycloidal pinch plasma-puff triggering. The main discharge of the inverse pinch switch with the plasma-focus driven plasma-puff trigger is found to be more azimuthally uniform than that with the hypocycloidal pinch plasma-puff trigger in a gas pressure region between 80 mTorr and 1 Torr. In order to assess the effects of plasma current density on material erosion of electrodes, emissions from both an inverse-pinch plasma switch (INPIStron) and from a spark gap switch under test were studied with an optical multichannel analyzer (OMA). The color temperature of the argon plasma was approximately 4,000 K which corresponded with the peak continuum emission near 750 nm. There are the strong line emissions of argon in the 650 - 800 nm range and a lack of line emissions of copper and other solid material used in the switch. This indicates that the plasma current density during closing is low and the hot spot or hot filament in the switch is negligible. This result also indicates considerable reduction of line emission with the INPIStron switch over that of a spark-gap switch. However, a strong carbon line

Note: Characterization of the plasma parameters of a capillary discharge-produced plasma channel waveguide to guide an intense laser pulse

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Higashiguchi, Takeshi; Yugami, Noboru; CREST, Japan Science and Technology Agency, 4-1-8 Honcho, Kanagawa, Saitama 332-0012

2010-04-15

We demonstrated the production of an optical waveguide in a capillary discharge-produced plasma using a cylindrical capillary. Plasma parameters of its waveguide were characterized by use of both a Nomarski laser interferometer and a hydrogen plasma line spectrum. A space-averaged maximum temperature of 3.3 eV with electron densities of the order of 10{sup 17} cm{sup -3} was observed at a discharge time of 150 ns and a maximum discharge current of 400 A. An ultrashort, intense laser pulse was guided by use of this plasma channel.

Collisionless Coupling between Explosive Debris Plasma and Magnetized Ambient Plasma

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bondarenko, Anton

2016-10-01

The explosive expansion of a dense debris plasma cloud into relatively tenuous, magnetized, ambient plasma characterizes a wide variety of astrophysical and space phenomena, including supernova remnants, interplanetary coronal mass ejections, and ionospheric explosions. In these rarified environments, collective electromagnetic processes rather than Coulomb collisions typically mediate the transfer of momentum and energy from the debris plasma to the ambient plasma. In an effort to better understand the detailed physics of collisionless coupling mechanisms in a reproducible laboratory setting, the present research jointly utilizes the Large Plasma Device (LAPD) and the Phoenix laser facility at UCLA to study the super-Alfvénic, quasi-perpendicular expansion of laser-produced carbon (C) and hydrogen (H) debris plasma through preformed, magnetized helium (He) ambient plasma via a variety of diagnostics, including emission spectroscopy, wavelength-filtered imaging, and magnetic field induction probes. Large Doppler shifts detected in a He II ion spectral line directly indicate initial ambient ion acceleration transverse to both the debris plasma flow and the background magnetic field, indicative of a fundamental process known as Larmor coupling. Characterization of the laser-produced debris plasma via a radiation-hydrodynamics code permits an explicit calculation of the laminar electric field in the framework of a ``hybrid'' model (kinetic ions, charge-neutralizing massless fluid electrons), thus allowing for a simulation of the initial response of a distribution of He II test ions. A synthetic Doppler-shifted spectrum constructed from the simulated velocity distribution of the accelerated test ions excellently reproduces the spectroscopic measurements, confirming the role of Larmor coupling in the debris-ambient interaction.

Spectroscopy of reactive species produced by low-energy atmospheric-pressure plasma on conductive target material surface

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yamada, Hiromasa; Sakakita, Hajime; Kato, Susumu; Kim, Jaeho; Kiyama, Satoru; Fujiwara, Masanori; Itagaki, Hirotomo; Okazaki, Toshiya; Ikehara, Sanae; Nakanishi, Hayao; Shimizu, Nobuyuki; Ikehara, Yuzuru

2016-10-01

A method for blood coagulation using low-energy atmospheric-pressure plasma (LEAPP) is confirmed as an alternative procedure to reduce tissue damage caused by heat. Blood coagulation using LEAPP behaves differently depending on working gas species; helium is more effective than argon in promoting fast coagulation. To analyse the difference in reactive species produced by helium and argon plasma, spectroscopic measurements were conducted without and with a target material. To compare emissions, blood coagulation experiments using LEAPP for both plasmas were performed under almost identical conditions. Although many kinds of reactive species such as hydroxyl radicals and excited nitrogen molecules were observed with similar intensity in both plasmas, intensities of nitrogen ion molecules and nitric oxide molecules were extremely strong in the helium plasma. It is considered that nitrogen ion molecules were mainly produced by penning ionization by helium metastable. Near the target, a significant increase in the emissions of reactive species is observed. There is a possibility that electron acceleration was induced in a local electric field formed on the surface. However, in argon plasma, emissions from nitrogen ion were not measured even near the target surface. These differences between the two plasmas may be producing the difference in blood coagulation behaviour. To control the surrounding gas of the plasma, a gas-component-controllable chamber was assembled. Filling the chamber with O2/He or N2/He gas mixtures selectively produces either reactive oxygen species or reactive nitrogen species. Through selective treatments, this chamber would be useful in studying the effects of specific reactive species on blood coagulation.

Saturation of Langmuir waves in laser-produced plasmas

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Baker, K.L.

1996-04-01

This dissertation deals with the interaction of an intense laser with a plasma (a quasineutral collection of electrons and ions). During this interaction, the laser drives large-amplitude waves through a class of processes known as parametric instabilities. Several such instabilities drive one type of wave, the Langmuir wave, which involves oscillations of the electrons relative to the nearly-stationary ions. There are a number of mechanisms which limit the amplitude to which Langmuir waves grow. In this dissertation, these mechanisms are examined to identify qualitative features which might be observed in experiments and/or simulations. In addition, a number of experiments aremore » proposed to specifically look for particular saturation mechanisms. In a plasma, a Langmuir wave can decay into an electromagnetic wave and an ion wave. This parametric instability is proposed as a source for electromagnetic emission near half of the incident laser frequency observed from laser-produced plasmas. This interpretation is shown to be consistent with existing experimental data and it is found that one of the previous mechanisms used to explain such emission is not. The scattering version of the electromagnetic decay instability is shown to provide an enhanced noise source of electromagnetic waves near the frequency of the incident laser.« less

Evaluation of Low-Pressure Cold Plasma for Disinfection for ISS Grown Produce and Metallic Instrumentation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hintze, Paul E.; Franco, Carolina; Hummerick, Mary E.; Maloney, Phillip R.; Spencer, Lashelle E.

2017-01-01

Cold plasma (CP) cleaning is a dry, non-thermal process, which can provide broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity yet reportedly causes little to no damage to the object being sanitized. Since cold plasma uses no liquids, it has the distinct advantage when used in microgravity of not having to separate liquids from the item being cleaned. This paper will present results on an effort to use low pressure CP to disinfect or sterilize materials for in space applications. Exposure times from 0 to 60 minutes and pressures ranging from 10 to 100 Pa were used to optimize plasma parameters to achieve acceptable kill rates for 3 bacteria, Bacillus cereus, E. coli and Bacillus pumulis SAFR-32 and one fungi, Aspergillus niger. These tests were done on produce and metal coupons to simulate medical equipment. Produce testing was not successful, with unacceptable kill rates and the produce being negatively impacted by exposure to the plasma. The plasma caused a 5 log reduction in the number of viable bacteria on metal coupon tests, which placed the number of viable bacteria below the detection limit. This is a very promising result showing that sterilization of medical equipment with cold plasma is feasible. Scanning Electron Microscope images were taken before and after exposure. The images after plasma exposure shows that the bacteria spores have been physically affected, as their size has gotten smaller and the appearance has changed.

Plasma Assisted Ignition and Combustion at Low Initial Gas Temperatures: Development of Kinetic Mechanism

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-10-05

the complexity of the air flow, plasma and combustion interaction can be obtained from papers where the ignition of supersonic and fast subsonic gas ...AFRL-AFOSR-JP-TR-2016-0083 Plasma Assisted Ignition and Combustion at Low Initial Gas Temperatures: Development of Kinetic Mechanism Svetlana...Combustion at Low Initial Gas Temperatures: Development of Kinetic Mechanism 5a.  CONTRACT NUMBER 5b.  GRANT NUMBER FA2386-13-1-4064 5c.  PROGRAM ELEMENT

Characterization of long-scale-length plasmas produced from plastic foam targets for laser plasma instability (LPI) research

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oh, Jaechul; Weaver, J. L.; Serlin, V.; Obenschain, S. P.

2017-10-01

We report on an experimental effort to produce plasmas with long scale lengths for the study of parametric instabilities, such as two plasmon decay (TPD) and stimulated Raman scattering (SRS), under conditions relevant to fusion plasma. In the current experiment, plasmas are formed from low density (10-100 mg/cc) CH foam targets irradiated by Nike krypton fluoride laser pulses (λ = 248 nm, 1 nsec FWHM) with energies up to 1 kJ. This experiment is conducted with two primary diagnostics: the grid image refractometer (Nike-GIR) to measure electron density and temperature profiles of the coronas, and time-resolved spectrometers with absolute intensity calibration to examine scattered light features of TPD or SRS. Nike-GIR was recently upgraded with a 5th harmonic probe laser (λ = 213 nm) to access plasma regions near quarter critical density of 248 nm light (4.5 ×1021 cm-3). The results will be discussed with data obtained from 120 μm scale-length plasmas created on solid CH targets in previous LPI experiments at Nike. Work supported by DoE/NNSA.

Recent Science Education Initiatives at the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zwicker, Andrew; Dominguez, Arturo; Gershman, Sophia; Guilbert, Nick; Merali, Aliya; Ortiz, Deedee

2013-10-01

An integrated approach to program development and implementation has significantly enhanced a variety of Science Education initiatives for students and teachers. This approach involves combining the efforts of PPPL scientists, educators, research and education fellows, and collaborating non-profit organizations to provide meaningful educational experiences for students and teachers. Our undergraduate internship program continues to have outstanding success, with 72% of our participants going to graduate school and 45% concentrating in plasma physics. New partnerships have allowed us to increase the number of underrepresented students participating in mentored research opportunities. The number of participants in our Young Women's Conference increases significantly each year. Our Plasma Camp workshop, now in its 15th year, recruits outstanding teachers from around the country to create new plasma-centered curricula. Student research in the Science Education Laboratory concentrates on the development of a high-fidelity plasma speaker, a particle dropper for a dusty plasma experiment, microplasmas along liquid surfaces for a variety of applications, an Internet-controlled DC glow discharge source for students, and a Planeterrella for demonstrating the aurora and other space weather phenomenon for the general public.

Plasma choline metabolites and colorectal cancer risk in the Women's Health Initiative Observational Study.

PubMed

Bae, Sajin; Ulrich, Cornelia M; Neuhouser, Marian L; Malysheva, Olga; Bailey, Lynn B; Xiao, Liren; Brown, Elissa C; Cushing-Haugen, Kara L; Zheng, Yingye; Cheng, Ting-Yuan David; Miller, Joshua W; Green, Ralph; Lane, Dorothy S; Beresford, Shirley A A; Caudill, Marie A

2014-12-15

Few studies have examined associations between plasma choline metabolites and risk of colorectal cancer. Therefore, we investigated associations between plasma biomarkers of choline metabolism [choline, betaine, dimethylglycine, and trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO)] and colorectal cancer risk among postmenopausal women in a case-control study nested within the Women's Health Initiative Observational Study. We selected 835 matched case-control pairs, and cases were further stratified by tumor site (proximal, distal, or rectal) and stage (local/regional or metastatic). Colorectal cancer was assessed by self-report and confirmed by medical records over the mean of 5.2 years of follow-up. Baseline plasma choline metabolites were measured by LC/MS-MS. In multivariable-adjusted conditional logistic regression models, plasma choline tended to be positively associated with rectal cancer risk [OR (95% confidence interval, CI)(highest vs. lowest quartile) = 2.44 (0.93-6.40); P trend = 0.08], whereas plasma betaine was inversely associated with colorectal cancer overall [0.68 (0.47-0.99); P trend = 0.01] and with local/regional tumors [0.64 (0.42-0.99); P trend = 0.009]. Notably, the plasma betaine:choline ratio was inversely associated with colorectal cancer overall [0.56 (0.39-0.82); P trend = 0.004] as well as with proximal [0.66 (0.41-1.06); P trend = 0.049], rectal [0.27 (0.10-0.78); P trend = 0.02], and local/regional [0.50 (0.33-0.76); P trend = 0.001] tumors. Finally, plasma TMAO, an oxidative derivative of choline produced by intestinal bacteria, was positively associated with rectal cancer [3.38 (1.25-9.16); P trend = 0.02] and with overall colorectal cancer risk among women with lower (vs. higher) plasma vitamin B12 levels (P interaction = 0.003). Collectively, these data suggest that alterations in choline metabolism, which may arise early in disease development, may be associated with higher risk of colorectal cancer. The positive association between plasma TMAO and

Hydrolysis of hemicellulose to produce fermentable monosaccharides by plasma acid.

PubMed

Wang, Ying; Yuan, Bo; Ji, Yingchao; Li, Hong

2013-09-12

In this paper, plasma acid was obtained by treating distilled water with dielectric barrier discharge to hydrolyze hemicellulose. The orthogonal experiment L₂₅(5(6)) was used to optimize such hydrolysis conditions. The total reducing sugar (TRS) was measured by the DNS method. To determine whether the oligosaccharide existed in the hydrolysis products, it was hydrolyzed by sulfuric acid for a second time following the same procedure as reported earlier. The monosaccharide compositions of the hydrolyzed sample were analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The results showed that pH 2.81 of plasma acid, 100 °C and 50 min were assigned as an optimal hydrolysis condition by plasma acid. Under this condition, the hemicellulose was hydrolyzed completely to produce monosaccharides including xylose, glucose, and galactose with the mole ratio being 17:3:1. The yields of xylose, glucose, and galactose were 38.67%, 9.28% and 3.09%, respectively. Compared with the hemicellulose hydrolysis results by sulfuric acid, it is concluded that plasma acid is an environmental-friendly and efficient method to explore and hydrolyze the hemicellulose existed in biomass. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Analysis of extreme ultraviolet spectra from laser produced rhenium plasmas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Tao; Higashiguchi, Takeshi; Li, Bowen; Suzuki, Yuhei; Arai, Goki; Dinh, Thanh-Hung; Dunne, Padraig; O'Reilly, Fergal; Sokell, Emma; Liu, Luning; O'Sullivan, Gerry

2015-08-01

Extreme ultraviolet spectra of highly-charged rhenium ions were observed in the 1-7 nm region using two Nd:YAG lasers with pulse lengths of 150 ps and 10 ns, respectively, operating at a number of laser power densities. The maximum focused peak power density was 2.6 × 1014 W cm-2 for the former and 5.5 × 1012 W cm-2 for the latter. The Cowan suite of atomic structure codes and unresolved transition array (UTA) approach were used to calculate and interpret the emission properties of the different spectra obtained. The results show that n = 4-n = 4 and n = 4-n = 5 UTAs lead to two intense quasi-continuous emission bands in the 4.3-6.3 nm and 1.5-4.3 nm spectral regions. As a result of the different ion stage distributions in the plasmas induced by ps and ns laser irradiation the 1.5-4.3 nm UTA peak moves to shorter wavelength in the ps laser produced plasma spectra. For the ns spectrum, the most populated ion stage during the lifetime of this plasma that could be identified from the n = 4-n = 5 transitions was Re23+ while for the ps plasma the presence of significantly higher stages was demonstrated. For the n = 4-n = 4 4p64dN-4p54dN+1 + 4p64dN-14f transitions, the 4d-4f transitions contribute mainly in the most intense 4.7-5.5 nm region while the 4p-4d subgroup gives rise to a weaker feature in the 4.3-4.7 nm region. A number of previously unidentified spectral features produced by n = 4-n = 5 transitions in the spectra of Re XVI to Re XXXIX are identified.

Radiative Characteristics of the Pulse-Periodic Discharge Plasma Initiated by Runaway Electrons

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lomaev, M. I.; Beloplotov, D. V.; Tarasenko, V. F.; Sorokin, D. A.

2016-07-01

Results of experimental investigations of amplitude-temporal and spectral characteristics of radiation of a pulse-periodic discharge plasma initiated in nitrogen by runaway electrons are presented. The discharge was initiated by high-voltage nanosecond voltage pulses with repetition frequency of 60 Hz in a sharply inhomogeneous electric field in a gap between the conic potential cathode and the planar grounded aluminum anode. It is established that intensive lines of Al I atoms and Al II atomic ions, lines of N I atoms and N II ions, bands of the first (1+) and second positive (2+) nitrogen systems, as well as bands of cyanogen CN are observed in the emission spectrum of the discharge plasma under the given excitation conditions.

A review on microbiological decontamination of fresh produce with nonthermal plasma.

PubMed

Pignata, C; D'Angelo, D; Fea, E; Gilli, G

2017-06-01

Food safety is a critical public health issue for consumers and the food industry because microbiological contamination of food causes considerable social and economic burdens on health care. Most foodborne illness comes from animal production, but as of the mid-1990s in the United States and more recently in the European Union, the contribution of fresh produce to foodborne outbreaks has rapidly increased. Recent studies have suggested that sterilization with nonthermal plasma could be a viable alternative to the traditional methods for the decontamination of heat-sensitive materials or food because this technique proves capable of eliminating micro-organisms on surfaces without altering the substrate. In the last 10 years, researchers have used nonthermal plasma in a variety of food inoculated with many bacterial species. All of these experiments were conducted exclusively in a laboratory and, to our knowledge, this technique has not been used in an industrial setting. Thus, the purpose of this review is to understand whether this technology could be used at the industrial level. The latest researches using nonthermal plasma on fresh produce were analysed. These evaluations have focused on the log reduction of micro-organisms and the treatment time. © 2017 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

Evolution analysis of EUV radiation from laser-produced tin plasmas based on a radiation hydrodynamics model

PubMed Central

Su, M. G.; Min, Q.; Cao, S. Q.; Sun, D. X.; Hayden, P.; O’Sullivan, G.; Dong, C. Z.

2017-01-01

One of fundamental aims of extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography is to maximize brightness or conversion efficiency of laser energy to radiation at specific wavelengths from laser produced plasmas (LPPs) of specific elements for matching to available multilayer optical systems. Tin LPPs have been chosen for operation at a wavelength of 13.5 nm. For an investigation of EUV radiation of laser-produced tin plasmas, it is crucial to study the related atomic processes and their evolution so as to reliably predict the optimum plasma and experimental conditions. Here, we present a simplified radiation hydrodynamic model based on the fluid dynamic equations and the radiative transfer equation to rapidly investigate the evolution of radiation properties and dynamics in laser-produced tin plasmas. The self-absorption features of EUV spectra measured at an angle of 45° to the direction of plasma expansion have been successfully simulated and explained, and the evolution of some parameters, such as the plasma temperature, ion distribution and density, expansion size and velocity, have also been evaluated. Our results should be useful for further understanding of current research on extreme ultraviolet and soft X-ray source development for applications such as lithography, metrology and biological imaging. PMID:28332621

Initial transport validation studies using NSTX-U L-mode plasmas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guttenfelder, Walter; Battaglia, D.; Bell, R. E.; Boyer, M. D.; Crocker, N.; Diallo, A.; Ferraro, N.; Gerhardt, S. P.; Kaye, S. M.; Leblanc, B. P.; Liu, D.; Menard, J. E.; Mueller, D.; Myer, C.; Podesta, M.; Raman, R.; Ren, Y.; Sabbagh, S.; Smith, D.

2016-10-01

A variety of stationary L-mode plasmas have been successfully developed in NSTX-U for physics validation studies. The plasmas span a range of density (1-4 ×1019 m-3) , plasma current (0.65-1.0 MA), and neutral beam heating power (<=4 MW), taking advantage of new, more tangential neutral beam sources to vary rotation profiles. Transport analysis (TRANSP) and turbulence measurements (BES, reflectometry) of these plasmas will be illustrated and compared with initial microstability and transport predictions. In particular, the normalized beta of these L-modes range between βN = 1-2, providing a valuable bridge in parameter space between (i) H-modes at comparable beta in conventional tokamaks (R/a 3, βN 2), where transport models have been largely developed and tested, and (ii) low-aspect-ratio H-modes at higher beta (R/a 1.5-1.7, βN 5), where transport models are less tested and challenged by stronger electromagnetic and equilibrium effects. This work is supported by US DOE contract DE-AC02-09CH11466.

Spatio-temporally resolved spectral measurements of laser-produced plasma and semiautomated spectral measurement-control and analysis software

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cao, S. Q.; Su, M. G.; Min, Q.; Sun, D. X.; O'Sullivan, G.; Dong, C. Z.

2018-02-01

A spatio-temporally resolved spectral measurement system of highly charged ions from laser-produced plasmas is presented. Corresponding semiautomated computer software for measurement control and spectral analysis has been written to achieve the best synchronicity possible among the instruments. This avoids the tedious comparative processes between experimental and theoretical results. To demonstrate the capabilities of this system, a series of spatio-temporally resolved experiments of laser-produced Al plasmas have been performed and applied to benchmark the software. The system is a useful tool for studying the spectral structures of highly charged ions and for evaluating the spatio-temporal evolution of laser-produced plasmas.

Interplanetary field and plasma during initial phase of geomagnetic storms

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Patel, V. L.; Wiskerchen, M. J.

1975-01-01

A study has been conducted of a large number of geomagnetic storms occurring during the period from 1966 to 1970. Questions of data selection are discussed and the large-scale interplanetary magnetic field during the initial phase is examined. Small-scale interplanetary fields during the initial phase are also considered, taking into account important features of small-scale variations in the interplanetary field and plasma for three storms. Details concerning 23 geomagnetic storms and the interplanetary magnetic field are presented in a table. A study of the initial phase of these storms indicates that in most of these events, the solar-ecliptic Z component of the interplanetary magnetic field turns southward when the main phase decrease begins.

Initiation of arcing on tungsten surface exposed to steady state He plasmas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kajita, Shin; Noiri, Yasuyuki; Ohno, Noriyasu

2015-09-01

Arcing was initiated in steady state helium plasmas by negatively biasing a tungsten electrode to around -500 V. On the tungsten electrode, nanostructures were grown by the plasma irradiation. In this study, we characterized the property of the initiated arcing by measuring the temporal evolutions of the electrode potential and the arc current. The ignition frequency and duration of arcing were presented from the potential measurements; the arc duration was in the range of <10 ms and the distribution altered when changing the biasing voltage. The behavior of arc spots was observed with a fast framing camera. It was shown that the spots split frequently, and sometimes, they run on the surface independently. From the fluctuation of the arc current, the fractal feature of arcing was revealed.

Plasma Assisted Ignition and Combustion at Low Initial Gas Temperatures: Development of Kinetic Mechanism

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-10-05

describes physics of a nanosecond surface dielectric barrier discharge (SDBD) at ambient gas temperature and high pressures (1-6 bar) in air. Details about...the ignition by a nanosecond discharge. Chapter 7 presents the high pressure high temperature reactor built recently at Laboratory for Plasma Physics ...livelink.ebs.afrl.af.mil/livelink/llisapi.dll Laboratory for Physics of Plasma, Ecole Polytechnique Plasma Assisted Ignition and Combustion at Low Initial Gas

A spectroscopic study using line ratios of lithiumlike ions in a laser-produced plasma

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moreno, J. C.; Goldsmith, S.; Griem, H. R.

1989-02-01

Spectra of highly ionized titanium and calcium in the extreme ultraviolet region were observed in laser-produced plasmas using the OMEGA 24 beam (351 nm) laser system at the University of Rochester. The plasmas were produced using glass microballoon targets coated with a layer of a medium Z element and a layer of parylene (CH). Time-integrated electron temperatures and densities were obtained by comparing measured line intensity ratios of lithiumlike charge states of Ti and Ca to numerical calculations from a collisional-radiative model. The variation of line intensity ratios with electron density and temperature using the collisional-radiative model is discussed.

Raman Sidescattering in Laser-Produced Plasmas.

DTIC Science & Technology

1984-12-27

MENYUK AND N. M. EL-SIRAGY Labomtyjb Plasma and Fusion Energy Studies -~ University of Maryland College Park, MD 20 742 LnW. M. MANHEIMER2 Plasma...NOTATION *Laboratory for Plasma and Fusion Energy Studies, Univ. of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742 **Permanent Address: Physics Dept., Univ. of Tanta

Thomson-scattering measurements in the collective and noncollective regimes in laser produced plasmas (invited).

PubMed

Ross, J S; Glenzer, S H; Palastro, J P; Pollock, B B; Price, D; Tynan, G R; Froula, D H

2010-10-01

We present simultaneous Thomson-scattering measurements of light scattered from ion-acoustic and electron-plasma fluctuations in a N(2) gas jet plasma. By varying the plasma density from 1.5×10(18) to 4.0×10(19) cm(-3) and the temperature from 100 to 600 eV, we observe the transition from the collective regime to the noncollective regime in the high-frequency Thomson-scattering spectrum. These measurements allow an accurate local measurement of fundamental plasma parameters: electron temperature, density, and ion temperature. Furthermore, experiments performed in the high densities typically found in laser produced plasmas result in scattering from electrons moving near the phase velocity of the relativistic plasma waves. Therefore, it is shown that even at low temperatures relativistic corrections to the scattered power must be included.

Progress towards a laser produced relativistic electron-positron pair plasma

DOE PAGES

Chen, Hui; Bonlie, J.; Cauble, R.; ...

2016-04-01

Here, a set of experiments has been performed exploring unique characteristics of pair jets and plasmas at several energetic short-pulse laser facilities including Titan at Livermore and OMEGA EP in Rochester, as well as the Osaka LFEX and AWE Orion lasers. New results are summarized, including positron beam emittance, scaling of pair production vs. laser energy, and initial results on the pair jet collimation using electromagnetic fields.

Pre-treating water with non-thermal plasma

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cho, Young I.; Fridman, Alexander; Rabinovich, Alexander

The present invention consists of a method of pre-treatment of adulterated water for distillation, including adulterated water produced during hydraulic fracturing ("fracking") of shale rock during natural gas drilling. In particular, the invention is directed to a method of treating adulterated water, said adulterated water having an initial level of bicarbonate ion in a range of about 250 ppm to about 5000 ppm and an initial level of calcium ion in a range of about 500 ppm to about 50,000 ppm, said method comprising contacting the adulterated water with a non-thermal arc discharge plasma to produce plasma treated water havingmore » a level of bicarbonate ion of less than about 100 ppm. Optionally, the plasma treated water may be further distilled.« less

Characteristics and time evolution of a hollow cathode produced glow discharge plasma in air

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gregor, Joseph Atilla

Current radar systems use mechanical directors and phased array technology for beam steering. Use of a sheet plasma as a microwave reflector promises several advantages over these methods. Operation is inherently broad-band, since all frequencies below the plasma frequency are reflected. The orientation and shape of the reflector may be changed directly through electronic control without resort to moving parts or expensive RF switches. The relatively fast plasma formation and extinction times ([/approx]10/ /mus) allow for rapid redirection of the microwave beam. An experimental system, dubbed the Agile Mirror, has been constructed using a cylindrical LexanTM vacuum chamber suspended within a water cooled Helmholtz coil pair capable of producing a uniform 500 Gauss field. Using this system we have created plasmas capable of reflecting 10 GHz microwaves with characteristics comparable to that of a plane metallic reflector. Most previous glow discharge work has concentrated either on the DC characteristics, or on the very early evolution (<1-2 μs), of the discharge. To create a practical agile mirror direction, we must be able to produce a stable, flat, homogeneous plasma sheet with predictable characteristics timescales from 5 μs to 1 ms-a regime where little pertinent quantitative data exists. This work concentrates on diagnosing the time resolved behavior of the agile mirror plasma during the mid-time, from t = 5-300 μs, in a regime which accentuates observed changes in the discharge circuit characteristics. Measurements on an air discharge produced using VD/approx2.2 kV, p ≈ 208 mTorr, and B ≈ 250 G reveal an ne=1011/ cm-3,/ Te=1[-]3 eV plasma with distinct negative glow, Faraday dark space, and positive column regions. Analysis of time resolved potential, temperature, and spectroscopic data reveal that this discharge transitions-on time scales of [/approx]100/ /mus-into a pure negative glow discharge. The characteristics and evolution of the discharge are

Plasma choline metabolites and colorectal cancer risk in the Women’s Health Initiative Observational Study

PubMed Central

Bae, Sajin; Ulrich, Cornelia M.; Neuhouser, Marian L.; Malysheva, Olga; Bailey, Lynn B.; Xiao, Liren; Brown, Elissa C.; Cushing-Haugen, Kara L.; Zheng, Yingye; Cheng, Ting-Yuan David; Miller, Joshua W.; Green, Ralph; Lane, Dorothy S.; Beresford, Shirley A. A.; Caudill, Marie A.

2014-01-01

Few studies have examined associations between plasma choline metabolites and risk of colorectal cancer (CRC). Therefore, we investigated associations between plasma biomarkers of choline metabolism [choline, betaine, dimethylglycine and trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO)] and CRC risk among postmenopausal women in a case-control study nested within the Women’s Health Initiative Observational Study. We selected 835 matched case-control pairs, and cases were further stratified by tumor site (proximal, distal, or rectal) and stage (local/regional or metastatic). CRC was assessed by self-report and confirmed by medical records over the mean 5.2y of follow-up. Baseline plasma choline metabolites were measured by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. In multivariable-adjusted conditional logistic regression models, plasma choline tended to be positively associated with rectal cancer risk [OR (95% CI)highest vs. lowest quartile=2.44 (0.93–6.40);P-trend=0.08], while plasma betaine was inversely associated with CRC overall [0.68 (0.47–0.99);P-trend=0.01] and with local/regional tumors [0.64 (0.42–0.99);P-trend=0.009]. Notably, the plasma betaine:choline ratio was inversely associated with CRC overall [0.56 (0.39–0.82);P-trend=0.004] as well as with proximal [0.66 (0.41–1.06);P-trend=0.049], rectal [0.27 (0.10–0.78);P-trend=0.02] and local/regional [0.50 (0.33–0.76);P-trend=0.001] tumors. Finally, plasma TMAO, an oxidative derivative of choline produced by intestinal bacteria, was positively associated with rectal cancer [3.38 (1.25–9.16);P-trend=0.02] and with overall CRC risk among women with lower (vs. higher) plasma vitamin B12 levels (P-interaction=0.003). Collectively, these data suggest that alterations in choline metabolism, which may arise early in disease development, may be associated with higher risk of CRC. The positive association between plasma TMAO and CRC risk is consistent with an involvement of the gut microbiome in CRC pathogenesis

Measurements of ion temperature and flow of pulsed plasmas produced by a magnetized coaxial plasma gun device using an ion Doppler spectrometer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kitagawa, Y.; Sakuma, I.; Iwamoto, D.; Kikuchi, Y.; Fukumoto, N.; Nagata, M.

2012-10-01

It is important to know surface damage characteristics of plasma-facing component materials during transient heat and particle loads such as type I ELMs. A magnetized coaxial plasma gun (MCPG) device has been used as transient heat and particle source in ELM simulation experiments. Characteristics of pulsed plasmas produced by the MCPG device play an important role for the plasma material interaction. In this study, ion temperature and flow velocity of pulsed He plasmas were measured by an ion Doppler spectrometer (IDS). The IDS system consists of a light collection system including optical fibers, 1m-spectrometer and a 16 channel photomultiplier tube (PMT) detector. The IDS system measures the width and Doppler shift of HeII (468.58 nm) emission line with the time resolution of 1 μs. The Doppler broadened and shifted spectra were measured with 45 and 135 degree angles with respect to the plasmoid traveling direction. The observed emission line profile was represented by sum of two Gaussian components to determine the temperature and flow velocity. The minor component at around the wavelength of zero-velocity was produced by the stationary plasma. As the results, the ion velocity and temperature were 68 km/s and 19 eV, respectively. Thus, the He ion flow energy is 97 eV. The observed flow velocity agrees with that measured by a time of flight technique.

Formation of electron energy spectra during magnetic reconnection in laser-produced plasma

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Kai; Lu, Quanming; Huang, Can; Dong, Quanli; Wang, Huanyu; Fan, Feibin; Sheng, Zhengming; Wang, Shui; Zhang, Jie

2017-10-01

Energetic electron spectra formed during magnetic reconnection between two laser-produced plasma bubbles are investigated by the use of two-dimensional particle-in-cell simulations. It is found that the evolution of such an interaction between the two plasma bubbles can be separated into two distinct stages: squeezing and reconnection stages. In the squeezing stage, when the two plasma bubbles expand quickly and collide with each other, the magnetic field in the inflow region is greatly enhanced. In the second stage, a thin current sheet is formed between the two plasma bubbles, and then, magnetic reconnection occurs therein. During the squeezing stage, electrons are heated in the perpendicular direction by betatron acceleration due to the enhancement of the magnetic field around the plasma bubbles. Meanwhile, non-thermal electrons are generated by the Fermi mechanism when these electrons bounce between the two plasma bubbles approaching quickly and get accelerated mainly by the convective electric field associated with the plasma bubbles. During the reconnection stage, electrons get further accelerated mainly by the reconnection electric field in the vicinity of the X line. When the expanding speed of the plasma bubbles is sufficiently large, the formed electron energy spectra have a kappa distribution, where the lower energy part satisfies a Maxwellian function and the higher energy part is a power-law distribution. Moreover, the increase in the expanding speed will result in the hardening of formed power-law spectra in both the squeezing and reconnection stages.

Vacuum arc plasma thrusters with inductive energy storage driver

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schein, Jochen (Inventor); Gerhan, Andrew N. (Inventor); Woo, Robyn L. (Inventor); Au, Michael Y. (Inventor); Krishnan, Mahadevan (Inventor)

2004-01-01

An apparatus for producing a vacuum arc plasma source device using a low mass, compact inductive energy storage circuit powered by a low voltage DC supply acts as a vacuum arc plasma thruster. An inductor is charged through a switch, subsequently the switch is opened and a voltage spike of Ldi/dt is produced initiating plasma across a resistive path separating anode and cathode. The plasma is subsequently maintained by energy stored in the inductor. Plasma is produced from cathode material, which allows for any electrically conductive material to be used. A planar structure, a tubular structure, and a coaxial structure allow for consumption of cathode material feed and thereby long lifetime of the thruster for long durations of time.

Measurement of Noise Produced by a Plasma Contactor Operating in Ground Based Facilities

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Snyder, Steve

1996-01-01

Methods to measure electric field fluctuations accurately in a plasma with an active monopole antenna are described. It is shown that the conductive surfaces of the antenna must be adequately isolated from the ambient plasma and that the monopole must be sufficiently short to avoid antenna amplifier saturation. Experimental results illustrate that the noise produced by plasma contactor operation and sensed by the antenna is due to plasma phenomena and is not induced by laboratory power supplies. A good correlation is shown between the current fluctuations in the contactor electrical circuit and the noise detected by the antenna. A large body of experimental data support the conclusion that the majority of noise sensed by the antenna at frequencies less than 1 MHz is due to current fluctuations (electrostatic waves) in the plasma adjacent to the antenna and not to electromagnetic wave radiation. Caution is suggested when comparing antenna noise measurements to conventional specifications for radiated emissions.

Spectroscopic studies of Cr VI species in a laser produced plasma

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Klemke, Nicolai; Nadarajan, Smijesh; Laban, Dane; Wood, James; Chetty, Dashavir; Kielpinski, David; Litvinyuk, Igor; Sang, Robert

2015-09-01

We present measurements characterizing a laser generated, highly ionized microplasma suitable to extend the cut-off energy of High Harmonic Generation (HHG) to energies up to 5 keV. The HHG process occurs when a strong ultrafast laser hits a gaseous target producing coherent radiation with a much higher photon energy than the driving laser. Commonly, noble gases are used and typical photon energies of several 100 eV are obtained. We plan to use Cr5+ species as the target for HHG as generated by a double pulse method: the first pulse creates the plasma, the second pulse is used to obtain the temperature required for Cr5+. Here, we present results on the optimization of plasma parameters such as the plasma temperature, the number density and the dynamics of Cr5+ by means of spectroscopic techniques in the optical and the XUV regime. This research is supported by Lockheed Martin and the Australian Research Council.

Porous materials produced from incineration ash using thermal plasma technology.

PubMed

Yang, Sheng-Fu; Chiu, Wen-Tung; Wang, To-Mai; Chen, Ching-Ting; Tzeng, Chin-Ching

2014-06-01

This study presents a novel thermal plasma melting technique for neutralizing and recycling municipal solid waste incinerator (MSWI) ash residues. MSWI ash residues were converted into water-quenched vitrified slag using plasma vitrification, which is environmentally benign. Slag is adopted as a raw material in producing porous materials for architectural and decorative applications, eliminating the problem of its disposal. Porous materials are produced using water-quenched vitrified slag with Portland cement and foaming agent. The true density, bulk density, porosity and water absorption ratio of the foamed specimens are studied here by varying the size of the slag particles, the water-to-solid ratio, and the ratio of the weights of the core materials, including the water-quenched vitrified slag and cement. The thermal conductivity and flexural strength of porous panels are also determined. The experimental results show the bulk density and the porosity of the porous materials are 0.9-1.2 g cm(-3) and 50-60%, respectively, and the pore structure has a closed form. The thermal conductivity of the porous material is 0.1946 W m(-1) K(-1). Therefore, the slag composite materials are lightweight and thermal insulators having considerable potential for building applications. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Solar wind interaction with dusty plasmas produces instabilities and solitary structures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saleem, H.; Ali, S.

2017-12-01

It is pointed out that the solar wind interaction with dusty magnetospheres of the planets can give rise to purely growing instabilities as well as nonlinear electric field structures. Linear dispersion relation of the low frequency electrostatic ion-acoustic wave (IAW) is modified in the presence of stationary dust and its frequency becomes larger than its frequency in usual electron ion plasma even if ion temperature is equal to the electron temperature. This dust-ion-acoustic wave (DIAW) either becomes a purely growing electrostatic instability or turns out to be the modified dust-ion-acoustic wave (mDIAW) depending upon the magnitude of shear flow scale length and its direction. Growth rate of shear flow-driven electrostatic instability in a plasma having negatively charged stationary dust is larger than the usual D'Angelo instability of electron-ion plasma. It is shown that shear modified dust ion acoustic wave (mDIAW) produces electrostatic solitons in the nonlinear regime. The fluid theory predicts the existence of electrostatic solitons in the dusty plasmas in those regions where the inhomogeneous solar wind flow is parallel to the planetary or cometary magnetic field lines. The amplitude and width of the solitary structure depends upon dust density and magnitude of shear in the flow. This is a general theoretical model which is applied to dusty plasma of Saturn's F-ring for illustration.

Initial biocompatibility of plasma polymerized hexamethyldisiloxane films with different wettability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krasteva, N. A.; Toromanov, G.; Hristova, K. T.; Radeva, E. I.; Pecheva, E. V.; Dimitrova, R. P.; Altankov, G. P.; Pramatarova, L. D.

2010-11-01

Understanding the relationships between material surface properties, behaviour of adsorbed proteins and cellular responses is essential to design optimal material surfaces for tissue engineering. In this study we modify thin layers of plasma polymerized hexamethyldisiloxane (PPHMDS) by ammonia treatment in order to increase surface wettability and the corresponding biological response. The physico-chemical properties of the polymer films were characterized by contact angle (CA) measurements and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis.Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) were used as model system for the initial biocompatibility studies following their behavior upon preadsorption of polymer films with three adhesive proteins: fibronectin (FN), fibrinogen (FG) and vitronectin (VN). Adhesive interaction of HUVEC was evaluated after 2 hours by analyzing the overall cell morphology, and the organization of focal adhesion contacts and actin cytoskeleton. We have found similar good cellular response on FN and FG coated polymer films, with better pronounced vinculin expression on FN samples while. Conversely, on VN coated surfaces the wettability influenced significantly initial celular interaction spreading. The results obtained suggested that ammonia plasma treatment can modulate the biological activity of the adsorbed protein s on PPHMDS surfaces and thus to influence the interaction with endothelial cells.

Apoptotic effects on cultured cells of atmospheric-pressure plasma produced using various gases

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tominami, Kanako; Kanetaka, Hiroyasu; Kudo, Tada-aki; Sasaki, Shota; Kaneko, Toshiro

2016-01-01

This study investigated the effects of low-temperature atmospheric-pressure plasma on various cells such as rat fibroblastic Rat-1 cell line, rat neuroblastoma-like PC12 cell line, and rat macrophage-like NR8383 cell line. The plasma was irradiated directly to a culture medium containing plated cells for 0-20 s. The applied voltage, excitation frequency, and argon or helium gas flow were, respectively, 3-6 kV, 10 kHz, and 3 L/min. Cell viability and apoptotic activity were evaluated using annexin-V/propidium iodide staining. Results showed that the low-temperature atmospheric-pressure plasma irradiation promoted cell death in a discharge-voltage-dependent and irradiation-time-dependent manner. Furthermore, different effects are produced depending on the cell type. Moreover, entirely different mechanisms might be responsible for the induction of apoptosis in cells by helium and argon plasma.

Excimer laser produced plasmas in copper wire targets and water droplets

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Song, Kyo-Dong; Alexander, D. R.

1994-01-01

Elastically scattered incident radiation (ESIR) from a copper wire target illuminated by a KrF laser pulse at lambda = 248 nm shows a dinstinct two-peak structure which is dependent on the incident energy. The time required to reach the critical electron density (n(sub c) approximately = 1.8 x 10(exp 22) electrons/cu cm) is estimated at 11 ns based on experimental results. Detailed ESIR characteristics for water have been reported previously by the authors. Initiation of the broadband emission for copper plasma begins at 6.5 +/- 1.45 ns after the arrival of the laser pulse. However, the broadband emission occurs at 11 +/- 0.36 ns for water. For a diatomic substance such as water, the electron energy rapidly dissipates due to dissociation of water molecules, which is absent in a monatomic species such as copper. When the energy falls below the excitation energy of the lowest electron state for water, it becomes a subexcitation electron. Lifetimes of the subexcited electrons to the vibrational states are estimated to be of the order of 10(exp -9) s. In addition, the ionization potential of copper (440-530 nm) is approximately 6 eV, which is about two times smaller than the 13 eV ionization potential reported for water. The higher ionization potential contributes to the longer observed delay time for plasma formation in water. After initiation, a longer time is required for copper plasma to reach its peak value. This time delay in reaching the maximum intensity is attributed to the energy loss during the interband transition in copper.

Laser-produced lithium plasma as a narrow-band extended ultraviolet radiation source for photoelectron spectroscopy.

PubMed

Schriever, G; Mager, S; Naweed, A; Engel, A; Bergmann, K; Lebert, R

1998-03-01

Extended ultraviolet (EUV) emission characteristics of a laser-produced lithium plasma are determined with regard to the requirements of x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The main features of interest are spectral distribution, photon flux, bandwidth, source size, and emission duration. Laser-produced lithium plasmas are characterized as emitters of intense narrow-band EUV radiation. It can be estimated that the lithium Lyman-alpha line emission in combination with an ellipsoidal silicon/molybdenum multilayer mirror is a suitable EUV source for an x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy microscope with a 50-meV energy resolution and a 10-mum lateral resolution.

Initial Simulations of RF Waves in Hot Plasmas Using the FullWave Code

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Liangji; Svidzinski, Vladimir; Spencer, Andrew; Kim, Jin-Soo

2017-10-01

FullWave is a simulation tool that models RF fields in hot inhomogeneous magnetized plasmas. The wave equations with linearized hot plasma dielectric response are solved in configuration space on adaptive cloud of computational points. The nonlocal hot plasma dielectric response is formulated by calculating the plasma conductivity kernel based on the solution of the linearized Vlasov equation in inhomogeneous magnetic field. In an rf field, the hot plasma dielectric response is limited to the distance of a few particles' Larmor radii, near the magnetic field line passing through the test point. The localization of the hot plasma dielectric response results in a sparse matrix of the problem thus significantly reduces the size of the problem and makes the simulations faster. We will present the initial results of modeling of rf waves using the Fullwave code, including calculation of nonlocal conductivity kernel in 2D Tokamak geometry; the interpolation of conductivity kernel from test points to adaptive cloud of computational points; and the results of self-consistent simulations of 2D rf fields using calculated hot plasma conductivity kernel in a tokamak plasma with reduced parameters. Work supported by the US DOE ``SBIR program.

Effects of a static inhomogeneous magnetic field acting on a laser-produced carbon plasma plume

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Favre, M.; Ruiz, H. M.; Bendixsen, L. S. Caballero; Reyes, S.; Veloso, F.; Wyndham, E.; Bhuyan, H.

2017-08-01

We present time- and space-resolved observations of the dynamics of a laser-produced carbon plasma, propagating in a sub-Tesla inhomogeneous magnetic field, with both, axial and radial field gradients. An Nd:YAG laser pulse, 340 mJ, 3.5 ns, at 1.06 μ m, with a fluence of 7 J/cm2, is used to generate the plasma from a solid graphite target, in vacuum. The magnetic field is produced using two coaxial sets of two NeFeB ring magnets, parallel to the laser target surface. The diagnostics include plasma imaging with 50 ns time resolution, spatially resolved optical emission spectroscopy and Faraday cup. Based on our observations, evidence of radial and axial plasma confinement due to magnetic field gradients is presented. Formation of C2 molecules, previously observed in the presence of a low pressure neutral gas background, and enhanced on-axis ion flux, are ascribed to finite Larmor radius effects and reduced radial transport due to the presence of the magnetic field.

Laser-produced plasma EUV source using a colloidal microjet target containing tin dioxide nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Higashiguchi, Takeshi; Dojyo, Naoto; Sasaki, Wataru; Kubodera, Shoichi

2006-10-01

We realized a low-debris laser-produced plasma extreme ultraviolet (EUV) source by use of a colloidal microjet target, which contained low-concentration (6 wt%) tin-dioxide nanoparticles. An Nd:YAG laser was used to produce a plasma at the intensity on the order of 10^11 W/cm^2. The use of low concentration nanoparticles in a microjet target with a diameter of 50 μm regulated the neutral debris emission from a target, which was monitored by a silicon witness plate placed 30 cm apart from the source in a vacuum chamber. No XPS signals of tin and/or oxygen atoms were observed on the plate after ten thousand laser exposures. The low concentration nature of the target was compensated and the conversion efficiency (CE) was improved by introducing double pulses of two Nd:YAG lasers operated at 532 and 1064 nm as a result of controlling the micro-plasma characteristics. The EUV CE reached its maximum of 1.2% at the delay time of approximately 100 ns with the main laser intensiy of 2 x10^11 W/cm^2. The CE value was comparable to that of a tin bulk target, which, however, produced a significant amount of neutral debris.

Microwave produced plasma in a Toroidal Device

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Singh, A. K.; Edwards, W. F.; Held, E. D.

2010-11-01

A currentless toroidal plasma device exhibits a large range of interesting basic plasma physics phenomena. Such a device is not in equilibrium in a strict magneto hydrodynamic sense. There are many sources of free energy in the form of gradients in plasma density, temperature, the background magnetic field and the curvature of the magnetic field. These free energy sources excite waves and instabilities which have been the focus of studies in several devices in last two decades. A full understanding of these simple plasmas is far from complete. At Utah State University we have recently designed and installed a microwave plasma generation system on a small tokamak borrowed from the University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada. Microwaves are generated at 2.45 GHz in a pulsed dc mode using a magnetron from a commercial kitchen microwave oven. The device is equipped with horizontal and vertical magnetic fields and a transformer to impose a toroidal electric field for current drive. Plasmas can be obtained over a wide range of pressure with and without magnetic fields. We present some preliminary measurements of plasma density and potential profiles. Measurements of plasma temperature at different operating conditions are also presented.

Diagnostic study of multiple double layer formation in expanding RF plasma

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chakraborty, Shamik; Paul, Manash Kumar; Roy, Jitendra Nath; Nath, Aparna

2018-03-01

Intensely luminous double layers develop and then expand in size in a visibly glowing RF discharge produced using a plasma source consisting of a semi-transparent cylindrical mesh with a central electrode, in a linear plasma chamber. Although RF discharge is known to be independent of device geometry in the absence of magnetic field, the initiation of RF discharge using such a plasma source results in electron drift and further expansion of the plasma in the vessel. The dynamics of complex plasma structures are studied through electric probe diagnostics in the expanding RF plasma. The measurements made to study the parametric dependence of evolution of double layer structures are analyzed and presented here. The plasma parameter measurements suggest that the complex potential structures initially form with low potential difference between the layers and then gradually expand producing burst oscillations. The present study provides interesting information about the stability of plasma sheath and charge particle dynamics in it that are important to understand the underlying basic sheath physics along with applications in plasma acceleration and propulsion.

Air core poloidal magnetic field system for a toroidal plasma producing device

DOEpatents

Marcus, Frederick B.

1978-01-01

A poloidal magnetics system for a plasma producing device of toroidal configuration is provided that reduces both the total volt-seconds requirement and the magnitude of the field change at the toroidal field coils. The system utilizes an air core transformer wound between the toroidal field (TF) coils and the major axis outside the TF coils. Electric current in the primary windings of this transformer is distributed and the magnetic flux returned by air core windings wrapped outside the toroidal field coils. A shield winding that is closely coupled to the plasma carries a current equal and opposite to the plasma current. This winding provides the shielding function and in addition serves in a fashion similar to a driven conducting shell to provide the equilibrium vertical field for the plasma. The shield winding is in series with a power supply and a decoupling coil located outside the TF coil at the primary winding locations. The present invention requires much less energy than the usual air core transformer and is capable of substantially shielding the toroidal field coils from poloidal field flux.

Plasma processes for producing silanes and derivatives thereof

DOEpatents

Laine, Richard M; Massey, Dean Richard; Peterson, Peter Young

2014-03-25

The invention is generally related to process for generating one or more molecules having the formula Si.sub.xH.sub.y, Si.sub.xD.sub.y, Si.sub.xH.sub.yD.sub.z, and mixtures thereof, where x,y and z are integers .gtoreq.1, H is hydrogen and D is deuterium, such as silane, comprising the steps of: providing a silicon containing material, wherein the silicon containing material includes at least 20 weight percent silicon atoms based on the total weight of the silicon containing material; generating a plasma capable of vaporizing a silicon atom, sputtering a silicon atom, or both using a plasma generating device; and contacting the plasma to the silicon containing material in a chamber having an atmosphere that includes at least about 0.5 mole percent hydrogen atoms and/or deuterium atoms based on the total moles of atoms in the atmosphere; so that a molecule having the formula Si.sub.xH.sub.y; (e.g., silane) is generated. The process preferably includes a step of removing one or more impurities from the Si.sub.xH.sub.y (e.g., the silane) to form a clean Si.sub.xH.sub.y, Si.sub.xD.sub.y, Si.sub.xH.sub.yD.sub.z (e.g., silane). The process may also include a step of reacting the Si.sub.xH.sub.y, Si.sub.xD.sub.y, Si.sub.xH.sub.yD.sub.z (e.g., the silane) to produce a high purity silicon containing material such as electronic grade metallic silicon, photovoltaic grade metallic silicon, or both.

Measurements of hydrogen gas stopping efficiency for tin ions from laser-produced plasma

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abramenko, D. B.; Spiridonov, M. V.; Krainov, P. V.; Krivtsun, V. M.; Astakhov, D. I.; Medvedev, V. V.; van Kampen, M.; Smeets, D.; Koshelev, K. N.

2018-04-01

Experimental studies of stopping of ion fluxes from laser-produced plasma by a low-pressure gas atmosphere are presented. A modification of the time-of-flight spectroscopy technique is proposed for the stopping cross-sectional measurements in the ion energy range of 0.1-10 keV. The application of the proposed technique is demonstrated for Sn ion stopping by H2 gas. This combination of elements is of particular importance for the development of plasma-based sources of extreme ultraviolet radiation for lithographic applications.

Time integrated optical emission studies of the laser produced germanium plasma

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Iqbal, Javed; Ahmed, R.; Baig, M. A.

2017-04-01

We present new time integrated data on the optical emission spectra of laser produced germanium plasma using a Q-switched Nd:YAG laser (1064 nm), power density up to about 5  ×  109 W cm-2 in conjunction with a set of five spectrometers covering a spectral range from 200 nm to 720 nm. Well resolved structure due to the 4p5s  →  4p2 transition array of neutral germanium and a few multiplets of singly ionized germanium have been observed. Plasma temperature has been determined in the range (9000-11 000) K using four different techniques; two line ratio method, Boltzmann plot, Saha-Boltzmann plot and Marotta’s technique whereas electron density has been deduced from the Stark broadened line profiles in the range (0.5-5.0)  ×  1017 cm-3, depending on the laser pulse energy to produce the germanium plasma. Full width at half maximum (FWHM) of a number of neutral and singly ionized germanium lines have been extracted by the Lorentzian fit to the experimentally observed line profiles. In addition, we have compared the experimentally measured relative line strengths for the 4p5s 3P0,1,2  →  4p2 3P0,1,2 multiplet with that calculated in the LS-coupling scheme revealing that the intermediate coupling scheme is more appropriate for the level designations in germanium.

TIME EVOLUTION OF KELVIN–HELMHOLTZ VORTICES ASSOCIATED WITH COLLISIONLESS SHOCKS IN LASER-PRODUCED PLASMAS

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kuramitsu, Y.; Moritaka, T.; Mizuta, A.

2016-09-10

We report experimental results on Kelvin–Helmholtz (KH) instability and resultant vortices in laser-produced plasmas. By irradiating a double plane target with a laser beam, asymmetric counterstreaming plasmas are created. The interaction of the plasmas with different velocities and densities results in the formation of asymmetric shocks, where the shear flow exists along the contact surface and the KH instability is excited. We observe the spatial and temporal evolution of plasmas and shocks with time-resolved diagnostics over several shots. Our results clearly show the evolution of transverse fluctuations, wavelike structures, and circular features, which are interpreted as the KH instability andmore » resultant vortices. The relevant numerical simulations demonstrate the time evolution of KH vortices and show qualitative agreement with experimental results. Shocks, and thus the contact surfaces, are ubiquitous in the universe; our experimental results show general consequences where two plasmas interact.« less

On- and off-axis spectral emission features from laser-produced gas breakdown plasmas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harilal, S. S.; Skrodzki, P. J.; Miloshevsky, A.; Brumfield, B. E.; Phillips, M. C.; Miloshevsky, G.

2017-06-01

Laser-heated gas breakdown plasmas or sparks emit profoundly in the ultraviolet and visible region of the electromagnetic spectrum with contributions from ionic, atomic, and molecular species. Laser created kernels expand into a cold ambient with high velocities during their early lifetime followed by confinement of the plasma kernel and eventually collapse. However, the plasma kernels produced during laser breakdown of gases are also capable of exciting and ionizing the surrounding ambient medium. Two mechanisms can be responsible for excitation and ionization of the surrounding ambient: photoexcitation and ionization by intense ultraviolet emission from the sparks produced during the early times of their creation and/or heating by strong shocks generated by the kernel during its expansion into the ambient. In this study, an investigation is made on the spectral features of on- and off-axis emission of laser-induced plasma breakdown kernels generated in atmospheric pressure conditions with an aim to elucidate the mechanisms leading to ambient excitation and emission. Pulses from an Nd:YAG laser emitting at 1064 nm with a pulse duration of 6 ns are used to generate plasma kernels. Laser sparks were generated in air, argon, and helium gases to provide different physical properties of expansion dynamics and plasma chemistry considering the differences in laser absorption properties, mass density, and speciation. Point shadowgraphy and time-resolved imaging were used to evaluate the shock wave and spark self-emission morphology at early and late times, while space and time resolved spectroscopy is used for evaluating the emission features and for inferring plasma physical conditions at on- and off-axis positions. The structure and dynamics of the plasma kernel obtained using imaging techniques are also compared to numerical simulations using the computational fluid dynamics code. The emission from the kernel showed that spectral features from ions, atoms, and

On- and off-axis spectral emission features from laser-produced gas breakdown plasmas

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Harilal, S. S.; Skrodzki, P. J.; Miloshevsky, A.

Laser-heated gas breakdown plasmas or sparks emit profoundly in the ultraviolet and visible region of the electromagnetic spectrum with contributions from ionic, atomic, and molecular species. Laser created kernels expand into a cold ambient with high velocities during its early lifetime followed by confinement of the plasma kernel and eventually collapse. However, the plasma kernels produced during laser breakdown of gases are also capable of exciting and ionizing the surrounding ambient medium. Two mechanisms can be responsible for excitation and ionization of surrounding ambient: viz. photoexcitation and ionization by intense ultraviolet emission from the sparks produced during the early timesmore » of its creation and/or heating by strong shocks generated by the kernel during its expansion into the ambient. In this study, an investigation is made on the spectral features of on- and off-axis emission features of laser-induced plasma breakdown kernels generated in atmospheric pressure conditions with an aim to elucidate the mechanisms leading to ambient excitation and emission. Pulses from an Nd:YAG laser emitting at 1064 nm with 6 ns pulse duration are used to generate plasma kernels. Laser sparks were generated in air, argon, and helium gases to provide different physical properties of expansion dynamics and plasma chemistry considering the differences in laser absorption properties, mass density and speciation. Point shadowgraphy and time-resolved imaging were used to evaluate the shock wave and spark self-emission morphology at early and late times while space and time resolved spectroscopy is used for evaluating the emission features as well as for inferring plasma fundaments at on- and off-axis. Structure and dynamics of the plasma kernel obtained using imaging techniques are also compared to numerical simulations using computational fluid dynamics code. The emission from the kernel showed that spectral features from ions, atoms and molecules are

On- and off-axis spectral emission features from laser-produced gas breakdown plasmas

DOE PAGES

Harilal, S. S.; Skrodzki, P. J.; Miloshevsky, A.; ...

2017-06-01

Laser-heated gas breakdown plasmas or sparks emit profoundly in the ultraviolet and visible region of the electromagnetic spectrum with contributions from ionic, atomic, and molecular species. Laser created kernels expand into a cold ambient with high velocities during its early lifetime followed by confinement of the plasma kernel and eventually collapse. However, the plasma kernels produced during laser breakdown of gases are also capable of exciting and ionizing the surrounding ambient medium. Two mechanisms can be responsible for excitation and ionization of surrounding ambient: viz. photoexcitation and ionization by intense ultraviolet emission from the sparks produced during the early timesmore » of its creation and/or heating by strong shocks generated by the kernel during its expansion into the ambient. In this study, an investigation is made on the spectral features of on- and off-axis emission features of laser-induced plasma breakdown kernels generated in atmospheric pressure conditions with an aim to elucidate the mechanisms leading to ambient excitation and emission. Pulses from an Nd:YAG laser emitting at 1064 nm with 6 ns pulse duration are used to generate plasma kernels. Laser sparks were generated in air, argon, and helium gases to provide different physical properties of expansion dynamics and plasma chemistry considering the differences in laser absorption properties, mass density and speciation. Point shadowgraphy and time-resolved imaging were used to evaluate the shock wave and spark self-emission morphology at early and late times while space and time resolved spectroscopy is used for evaluating the emission features as well as for inferring plasma fundaments at on- and off-axis. Structure and dynamics of the plasma kernel obtained using imaging techniques are also compared to numerical simulations using computational fluid dynamics code. The emission from the kernel showed that spectral features from ions, atoms and molecules are

Electron-Beam Produced Air Plasma: Optical and Electrical Diagnostics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vidmar, Robert; Stalder, Kenneth; Seeley, Megan

2006-10-01

High energy electron impact excitation is used to stimulate optical emissions that quantify the measurement of electron beam current. A 100 keV 10-ma electron beam source is used to produce air plasma in a test cell at a pressure between 1 mTorr and 760 Torr. Optical emissions originating from the N2 2^nd positive line at 337.1 nm and the N2^+ 1^st negative line at 391.4 nm are observed. Details on calibration using signals from an isolated transmission window and a Faraday plate are discussed. Results using this technique and other electrical signal are presented.

Spectral lines and characteristic of temporal variations in photoionized plasmas induced with laser-produced plasma extreme ultraviolet source

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saber, I.; Bartnik, A.; Wachulak, P.; Skrzeczanowski, W.; Jarocki, R.; Fiedorowicz, H.

2017-11-01

Spectral lines for Kr/Ne/H2 photoionized plasma in the ultraviolet and visible (UV/Vis) wavelength ranges have been created using a laser-produced plasma (LPP) EUV source. The source is based on a double-stream gas puff target irradiated with a commercial Nd:YAG laser. The laser pulses were focused onto a gas stream, injected into a vacuum chamber synchronously with the EUV pulses. Spectral lines from photoionization in neutral Kr/Ne/H2 and up to few charged states were observed. The intense emission lines were associated with the Kr transition lines. Experimental and theoretical investigations on intensity variations for some ionic lines are presented. A decrease in the intensity with the delay time between the laser pulse and the spectrum acquisition was revealed. Electron temperature and electron density in the photoionized plasma have been estimated from the characteristic emission lines. Temperature was obtained using Boltzmann plot method, assuming that the population density of atoms and ions are considered in a local thermodynamic equilibrium (LTE). Electron density was calculated from the Stark broadening profile. The temporal evaluation of the plasma and the way of optimizing the radiation intensity of LPP EUV sources is discussed.

First experiments probing the collision of parallel magnetic fields using laser-produced plasmas

DOE PAGES

Rosenberg, M. J.; Li, C. K.; Fox, W.; ...

2015-04-08

Novel experiments to study the strongly-driven collision of parallel magnetic fields in β~10, laser-produced plasmas have been conducted using monoenergetic proton radiography. These experiments were designed to probe the process of magnetic flux pileup, which has been identified in prior laser-plasma experiments as a key physical mechanism in the reconnection of anti-parallel magnetic fields when the reconnection inflow is dominated by strong plasma flows. In the present experiments using colliding plasmas carrying parallel magnetic fields, the magnetic flux is found to be conserved and slightly compressed in the collision region. Two-dimensional (2D) particle-in-cell (PIC) simulations predict a stronger flux compressionmore » and amplification of the magnetic field strength, and this discrepancy is attributed to the three-dimensional (3D) collision geometry. Future experiments may drive a stronger collision and further explore flux pileup in the context of the strongly-driven interaction of magnetic fields.« less

Plasma chemical conversion of sulphur hexafluoride initiated by a pulsed electron beam

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kholodnaya, Galina; Sazonov, Roman; Ponomarev, Denis; Guzeeva, Tatiana

2017-01-01

This paper presents the results of the experimental investigation of plasma chemical conversion of sulphur hexafluoride initiated by a pulsed electron beam (TEA-500 pulsed electron accelerator) with the following characteristics: 400-450 keV electron energy, 60 ns pulse duration, up to 200 J pulse energy, and 5 cm beam diameter. Experiments were conducted on the effect of the pulsed electron beam on SF6 and on mixtures of SF6 with O2, Ar, or N2. For the mixture of SF6 and oxygen, the results indicated chemical reactions involving the formation of a number of products of which one is sulphur, confirming the Wray - Fluorescence Analysis. The plasma chemical conversion of SF6 initiated by the pulsed electron beam was not detected when SF6 was mixed with Ar or N2, suggesting a possible mechanism for the reaction of SF6 in the presence of O2.

Effect of Atmospheric Plasma Treatment to Titanium Surface on Initial Osteoblast-Like Cell Spreading. .

PubMed

Kim, In-Hye; Son, Jun-Sik; Kwon, Tae-Yub; Kim, Kyo-Han

2015-01-01

Plasma treatments are becoming a popular method for modifying the characteristics of a range of substrate surfaces. Atmospheric pressure plasma is cost-efficient, safe and simple compared to high-pressure plasma. This study examined the effects of atmospheric pressure plasma to a titanium (Ti) surface on osteoblast-like cell (osteoblast) spreading and cellular networks. The characteristics of the Ti surface before and after the atmospheric plasma treatment were analyzed by X-ray photoemission spectroscopy (XPS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), contact angle measurements, and an optical 3D profiling system. The morphology of osteoblasts attached to the Ti surfaces was observed by SEM and confocal laser scanning microscopy. The atmospheric pressure plasma made the Ti surfaces more hydrophilic. The osteoblasts that adhered to the untreated surface were round and spherical, whereas the cells covered a larger surface area on the plasma-treated surface. The plasma-treated Ti surface showed enhanced cell spreading and migration with more developed cellular networks. In conclusion, an atmospheric plasma treatment is a potential surface modifying method that can enhance the initial the cell affinity at the early stages in vitro.

Measurements of electron density and temperature profiles in plasma produced by Nike KrF laser for laser plasma instability research

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oh, Jaechul; Weaver, J. L.; Karasik, M.; Chan, L. Y.

2015-08-01

A grid image refractometer (GIR) has been implemented at the Nike krypton fluoride laser facility of the Naval Research Laboratory. This instrument simultaneously measures propagation angles and transmissions of UV probe rays (λ = 263 nm, Δt = 10 ps) refracted through plasma. We report results of the first Nike-GIR measurement on a CH plasma produced by the Nike laser pulse (˜1 ns FWHM) with the intensity of 1.1 × 1015 W/cm2. The measured angles and transmissions were processed to construct spatial profiles of electron density (ne) and temperature (Te) in the underdense coronal region of the plasma. Using an inversion algorithm developed for the strongly refracted rays, the deployed GIR system probed electron densities up to 4 × 1021 cm-3 with the density scale length of 120 μm along the plasma symmetry axis. The resulting ne and Te profiles are verified to be self-consistent with the measured quantities of the refracted probe light.

Measurements of electron density and temperature profiles in plasma produced by Nike KrF laser for laser plasma instability research.

PubMed

Oh, Jaechul; Weaver, J L; Karasik, M; Chan, L Y

2015-08-01

A grid image refractometer (GIR) has been implemented at the Nike krypton fluoride laser facility of the Naval Research Laboratory. This instrument simultaneously measures propagation angles and transmissions of UV probe rays (λ = 263 nm, Δt = 10 ps) refracted through plasma. We report results of the first Nike-GIR measurement on a CH plasma produced by the Nike laser pulse (∼1 ns FWHM) with the intensity of 1.1 × 10(15) W/cm(2). The measured angles and transmissions were processed to construct spatial profiles of electron density (ne) and temperature (Te) in the underdense coronal region of the plasma. Using an inversion algorithm developed for the strongly refracted rays, the deployed GIR system probed electron densities up to 4 × 10(21) cm(-3) with the density scale length of 120 μm along the plasma symmetry axis. The resulting n(e) and T(e) profiles are verified to be self-consistent with the measured quantities of the refracted probe light.

Use of vacuum arc plasma guns for a metal puff Z-pinch system

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rousskikh, A. G.; Zhigalin, A. S.; Oreshkin, V. I.

The performance of a metal puff Z-pinch system has been studied experimentally. In this type of system, the initial cylindrical shell 4 cm in diameter was produced by ten plasma guns. Each gun initiates a vacuum arc operating between magnesium electrodes. The net current of the guns was 80 kA. The arc-produced plasma shell was compressed by using a 450-kA, 450-ns driver, and as a result, a plasma column 0.3 cm in diameter was formed. The electron temperature of the plasma reached 400 eV at an average ion concentration of 1.85 {center_dot} 10{sup 18} cm{sup -3}. The power of themore » Mg K-line radiation emitted by the plasma for 15-30 ns was 300 MW/cm.« less

Analytical description of generation of the residual current density in the plasma produced by a few-cycle laser pulse

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Silaev, A. A., E-mail: silaev@appl.sci-nnov.ru; Vvedenskii, N. V., E-mail: vved@appl.sci-nnov.ru; University of Nizhny Novgorod, Nizhny Novgorod 603950

2015-05-15

When a gas is ionized by a few-cycle laser pulse, some residual current density (RCD) of free electrons remains in the produced plasma after the passage of the laser pulse. This quasi-dc RCD is an initial impetus to plasma polarization and excitation of the plasma oscillations which can radiate terahertz (THz) waves. In this work, the analytical model for calculation of RCD excited by a few-cycle laser pulse is developed for the first time. The dependences of the RCD on the carrier-envelope phase (CEP), wavelength, duration, and intensity of the laser pulse are derived. It is shown that maximum RCDmore » corresponding to optimal CEP increases with the laser pulse wavelength, which indicates the prospects of using mid-infrared few-cycle laser pulses in the schemes of generation of high-power THz pulses. Analytical formulas for optimal pulse intensity and maximum efficiency of excitation of the RCD are obtained. Basing on numerical solution of the 3D time-dependent Schrödinger equation for hydrogen atoms, RCD dependence on CEP is calculated in a wide range of wavelengths. High accuracy of analytical formulas is demonstrated at the laser pulse parameters which correspond to the tunneling regime of ionization.« less

A prospective study of endothelial activation biomarkers, including plasma angiopoietin-1 and angiopoietin-2, in Kenyan women initiating antiretroviral therapy.

PubMed

Graham, Susan M; Rajwans, Nimerta; Tapia, Kenneth A; Jaoko, Walter; Estambale, Benson B A; McClelland, R Scott; Overbaugh, Julie; Liles, W Conrad

2013-06-04

HIV-1-related inflammation is associated with increased levels of biomarkers of vascular adhesion and endothelial activation, and may increase production of the inflammatory protein angiopoietin-2 (ANG-2), an adverse prognostic biomarker in severe systemic infection. We hypothesized that antiretroviral therapy (ART) initiation would decrease endothelial activation, reducing plasma levels of ANG-2. Antiretroviral-naïve Kenyan women with advanced HIV infection were followed prospectively. Endothelial activation biomarkers including soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1), vascular adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1), and E-selectin, and plasma ANG-2 and angiopoietin-1 (ANG-1) were tested in stored plasma samples from 0, 6, and 12 months after ART initiation. We used Wilcoxon matched-pairs signed rank tests to compare endothelial activation biomarkers across time-points, generalized estimating equations to analyze associations with change in log10-transformed biomarkers after ART initiation, and Cox proportional-hazards regression to analyze associations with mortality. The 102 HIV-1-seropositive women studied had advanced infection (median CD4 count, 124 cells/μL). Soluble ICAM-1 and plasma ANG-2 levels decreased at both time-points after ART initiation, with concomitant increases in the beneficial protein ANG-1. Higher ANG-2 levels after ART initiation were associated with higher plasma HIV-1 RNA, oral contraceptive pill use, pregnancy, severe malnutrition, and tuberculosis. Baseline ANG-2 levels were higher among five women who died after ART initiation than among women who did not (median 2.85 ng/mL [inter-quartile range (IQR) 2.47-5.74 ng/mL] versus median 1.32 ng/mL [IQR 0.35-2.18 ng/mL], p = 0.01). Both soluble ICAM-1 and plasma ANG-2 levels predicted mortality after ART initiation. Biomarkers of endothelial activation decreased after ART initiation in women with advanced HIV-1 infection. Changes in plasma ANG-2 were associated with HIV-1 RNA

Spontaneous evolution of rydberg atoms into an ultracold plasma

PubMed

Robinson; Tolra; Noel; Gallagher; Pillet

2000-11-20

We have observed the spontaneous evolution of a dense sample of Rydberg atoms into an ultracold plasma, in spite of the fact that each of the atoms may initially be bound by up to 100 cm(-1). When the atoms are initially bound by 70 cm(-1), this evolution occurs when most of the atoms are translationally cold, <1 mK, but a small fraction, approximately 1%, is at room temperature. Ionizing collisions between hot and cold Rydberg atoms and blackbody photoionization produce an essentially stationary cloud of cold ions, which traps electrons produced later. The trapped electrons rapidly collisionally ionize the remaining cold Rydberg atoms to form a cold plasma.

Angular distribution of ions and extreme ultraviolet emission in laser-produced tin droplet plasma

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Hong; Wang, Xinbing; Duan, Lian; Lan, Hui; Chen, Ziqi; Zuo, Duluo; Lu, Peixiang

2015-05-01

Angular-resolved ion time-of-flight spectra as well as extreme ultraviolet radiation in laser-produced tin droplet plasma are investigated experimentally and theoretically. Tin droplets with a diameter of 150 μm are irradiated by a pulsed Nd:YAG laser. The ion time-of-flight spectra measured from the plasma formed by laser irradiation of the tin droplets are interpreted in terms of a theoretical elliptical Druyvesteyn distribution to deduce ion density distributions including kinetic temperatures of the plasma. The opacity of the plasma for extreme ultraviolet radiation is calculated based on the deduced ion densities and temperatures, and the angular distribution of extreme ultraviolet radiation is expressed as a function of the opacity using the Beer-Lambert law. Our results show that the calculated angular distribution of extreme ultraviolet radiation is in satisfactory agreement with the experimental data.

Combination of graph heuristics in producing initial solution of curriculum based course timetabling problem

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wahid, Juliana; Hussin, Naimah Mohd

2016-08-01

The construction of population of initial solution is a crucial task in population-based metaheuristic approach for solving curriculum-based university course timetabling problem because it can affect the convergence speed and also the quality of the final solution. This paper presents an exploration on combination of graph heuristics in construction approach in curriculum based course timetabling problem to produce a population of initial solutions. The graph heuristics were set as single and combination of two heuristics. In addition, several ways of assigning courses into room and timeslot are implemented. All settings of heuristics are then tested on the same curriculum based course timetabling problem instances and are compared with each other in terms of number of population produced. The result shows that combination of saturation degree followed by largest degree heuristic produce the highest number of population of initial solutions. The results from this study can be used in the improvement phase of algorithm that uses population of initial solutions.

Plasma waves produced by the xenon ion beam experiment on the Porcupine sounding rocket

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kintner, P. M.; Kelley, M.

1982-01-01

The production of electrostatic ion cyclotron waves by a perpendicular ion beam in the F-region ionosphere is described. The ion beam experiment was part of the Porcupine program and produced electrostatic hydrogen cyclotron waves just above harmonics of the hydrogen cyclotron frequency. The plasma process may be thought of as a magnetized background ionosphere through which an unmagnetized beam is flowing. The dispersion equation for this hypothesis is constructed and solved. Preliminary solutions agree well with the observed plasma waves.

Patterning of Thick Parylene Films by Oxygen Plasma for Application as Exploding Foil Initiator Flyer Material

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-09-01

exploding foil initiator ( EFI ) type fuzes are being explored to...Acronyms Au gold Cr chromium Cu copper EFI exploding foil initiator BOE buffered oxide etch MEMS microelectromechanical systems RIE reactive ion...Patterning of Thick Parylene Films by Oxygen Plasma for Application as Exploding Foil Initiator Flyer Material by Eugene Zakar and Michael

The influence of the Hall term on the development of magnetized laser-produced plasma jets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hamlin, N. D.; Seyler, C. E.; Khiar, B.

2018-04-01

We present 2D axisymmetric simulation results describing the influence of the Hall term on laser-produced plasma jets and their interaction with an applied magnetic field parallel to the laser axis. Bending of the poloidal B-field lines produces an MHD shock structure surrounding a conical cavity, and a jet is produced from the convergence of the shock envelope. Both the jet and the conical cavity underneath it are bound by fast MHD shocks. We compare the MHD results generated using the extended-MHD code Physics as an Extended-MHD Relaxation System with an Efficient Upwind Scheme (PERSEUS) with MHD results generated using GORGON and find reasonable agreement. We then present extended-MHD results generated using PERSEUS, which show that the Hall term has several effects on the plasma jet evolution. A hot low-density current-carrying layer of plasma develops just outside the plume, which results in a helical rather than a purely poloidal B-field, and reduces magnetic stresses, resulting in delayed flow convergence and jet formation. The flow is partially frozen into the helical field, resulting in azimuthal rotation of the jet. The Hall term also produces field-aligned current in strongly magnetized regions. In particular, we find the influence of Hall physics on this problem to be scale-dependent. This points to the importance of mitigating the Hall effect in a laboratory setup, by increasing the jet density and system dimensions, in order to avoid inaccurate extrapolation to astrophysical scales.

[Testing of medicinal products produced from pooled plasma].

PubMed

Unkelbach, U; Hunfeld, A; Breitner-Ruddock, S

2014-10-01

Medicinal products produced from human plasma fall under the administrative batch release procedure of the competent authority. In Germany, this has been carried out since 1995 by the Paul Ehrlich Institute (PEI), the responsible state control agency for blood products. Medicinal products released for the European and national market are tested for quality, efficacy and safety. Experimental testing of the final product and the starting materials, the plasma pools, as well as control of the production documentation guarantee a constantly high product safety. In the 28,000 batches tested since the beginning of the state controlled batch release testing of these blood products at the PEI, there has been no transmission of infectious viruses (HIV, HBV and HCV) to any patient. The batch release has made a contribution to the improvement of product quality. This procedure is still an important tool to ensure safety of blood products. The PEI is integrated in the batch release network of the European Directorate for the Quality of Medicines & Health Care (EDQM) in Strasbourg. Regulations and guidelines for official control authority batch release (OCABR) ensure harmonized procedures for mutual recognition of batch release on the European level. The EU certificates and German national certificates are requested and accepted in over 70 countries worldwide. Experimental testing in the EU and the requisite certificates have developed into a seal of quality for the world market.

Thermal Smoothing by Laser-Produced Plasma of Porous Matter

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kalal, M.; Limpouch, J.; Krousky, E.

2003-05-15

Efficient energy transfer and smoothing effect in laser-irradiated polystyrene foam targets have been observed in preliminary experiments on the PALS iodine laser facility. A theory of laser light absorption region formation and ablation pressure generation in laser-produced plasma of porous matter has been developed and applied for discussion of the results obtained. In particular, two stages of homogenization of the porous matter, important for comprehension of the anomalously high absorption of laser radiation in supercritical foam matter, have been identified: the first, a considerably fast stage of partial homogenization, followed by a much slower second stage, leading to a uniformmore » medium.« less

Initial application of stereoscopic particle image velocimetry to transport and boundary phenomena in dusty plasmas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thomas, Edward; Williams, Jeremiah; Silver, Jennifer

2004-11-01

Over the past five years, the Auburn Plasma Sciences Laboratory (PSL) has applied two-dimensional particle image velocimetry (2D-PIV) techniques [E. Thomas, Phys. Plasmas, 6, 2672 (1999)] to make measurements of particle transport in dusty plasmas. Although important information was obtained from these earlier studies, the complex behavior of the charged microparticles clearly indicated that three-dimensional velocity information is needed. The PSL has recently acquired and installed a stereoscopic PIV (stereo-PIV) diagnostic tool for dusty plasma investigations [E. Thomas. et al, Phys. Plasmas, L37 (2004)]. It employs a synchronized dual-laser, dual-camera system for measuring particle transport in three dimensions. Results will be presented on the initial application of stereo-PIV to dusty plasma studies. Additional results will be presented on the use of stereo-PIV for measuring the controlled interaction of two dust clouds.

Traveling-wave laser-produced-plasma energy source for photoionization laser pumping and lasers incorporating said

DOEpatents

Sher, Mark H.; Macklin, John J.; Harris, Stephen E.

1989-09-26

A traveling-wave, laser-produced-plasma, energy source used to obtain single-pass gain saturation of a photoionization pumped laser. A cylindrical lens is used to focus a pump laser beam to a long line on a target. Grooves are cut in the target to present a surface near normal to the incident beam and to reduce the area, and hence increase the intensity and efficiency, of plasma formation.

Laboratory study of collisionless coupling between explosive debris plasma and magnetized ambient plasma

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bondarenko, A. S.; Schaeffer, D. B.; Everson, E. T.; Clark, S. E.; Lee, B. R.; Constantin, C. G.; Vincena, S.; Van Compernolle, B.; Tripathi, S. K. P.; Winske, D.; Niemann, C.

2017-08-01

The explosive expansion of a localized plasma cloud into a relatively tenuous, magnetized, ambient plasma characterizes a variety of astrophysical and space phenomena. In these rarified environments, collisionless electromagnetic processes rather than Coulomb collisions typically mediate the transfer of momentum and energy from the expanding "debris" plasma to the surrounding ambient plasma. In an effort to better understand the detailed physics of collisionless coupling mechanisms, compliment in situ measurements of space phenomena, and provide validation of previous computational and theoretical work, the present research jointly utilizes the Large Plasma Device and the Raptor laser facility at the University of California, Los Angeles to study the super-Alfvénic, quasi-perpendicular expansion of laser-produced carbon (C) and hydrogen (H) debris plasma through preformed, magnetized helium (He) ambient plasma via a variety of diagnostics, including emission spectroscopy, wavelength-filtered imaging, and a magnetic flux probe. Doppler shifts detected in a He1+ ion spectral line indicate that the ambient ions initially accelerate transverse to both the debris plasma flow and the background magnetic field. A qualitative analysis in the framework of a "hybrid" plasma model (kinetic ions and inertia-less fluid electrons) demonstrates that the ambient ion trajectories are consistent with the large-scale laminar electric field expected to develop due to the expanding debris. In particular, the transverse ambient ion motion provides direct evidence of Larmor coupling, a collisionless momentum exchange mechanism that has received extensive theoretical and numerical investigation. In order to quantitatively evaluate the observed Doppler shifts, a custom simulation utilizing a detailed model of the laser-produced debris plasma evolution calculates the laminar electric field and computes the initial response of a distribution of ambient test ions. A synthetic Doppler

Plasma channel optical pumping device and method

DOEpatents

Judd, O.P.

1983-06-28

A device and method are disclosed for optically pumping a gaseous laser using blackbody radiation produced by a plasma channel which is formed from an electrical discharge between two electrodes spaced at opposite longitudinal ends of the laser. A preionization device which can comprise a laser or electron beam accelerator produces a preionization beam which is sufficient to cause an electrical discharge between the electrodes to initiate the plasma channel along the preionization path. The optical pumping energy is supplied by a high voltage power supply rather than by the preionization beam. High output optical intensities are produced by the laser due to the high temperature blackbody radiation produced by the plasma channel, in the same manner as an exploding wire type laser. However, unlike the exploding wire type laser, the disclosed invention can be operated in a repetitive manner by utilizing a repetitive pulsed preionization device. 5 figs.

Sideways wall force produced during tokamak disruptions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Strauss, H.; Paccagnella, R.; Breslau, J.; Sugiyama, L.; Jardin, S.

2013-07-01

A critical issue for ITER is to evaluate the forces produced on the surrounding conducting structures during plasma disruptions. We calculate the non-axisymmetric ‘sideways’ wall force Fx, produced in disruptions. Simulations were carried out of disruptions produced by destabilization of n = 1 modes by a vertical displacement event (VDE). The force depends strongly on γτwall, where γ is the mode growth rate and τwall is the wall penetration time, and is largest for γτwall = constant, which depends on initial conditions. Simulations of disruptions caused by a model of massive gas injection were also performed. It was found that the wall force increases approximately offset linearly with the displacement from the magnetic axis produced by a VDE. These results are also obtained with an analytical model. Disruptions are accompanied by toroidal variation of the plasma current Iφ. This is caused by toroidal variation of the halo current, as verified computationally and analytically.

Nanosecond Pulsed Discharge in Water without Bubbles: A Fundamental Study of Initiation, Propagation and Plasma Characteristics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Seepersad, Yohan

The state of plasma is widely known as a gas-phase phenomenon, but plasma in liquids have also received significant attention over the last century. Generating plasma in liquids however is theoretically challenging, and this problem is often overcome via liquid-gas phase transition preceding the actual plasma formation. In this sense, plasma forms in gas bubbles in the liquid. Recent work at the Drexel Plasma Institute has shown that nanosecond pulsed electric fields can initiate plasma in liquids without any initial cavitation phase, at voltages below theoretical direct-ionization thresholds. This unique regime is poorly understood and does not fit into any current descriptive mechanisms. As with all new phenomena, a complete fundamental description is paramount to understanding its usefulness to practical applications. The primary goals of this research were to qualitatively and quantitatively understand the phenomenon of nanosecond pulsed discharge in liquids as a means to characterizing properties that may open up niche application possibilities. Analysis of the plasma was based on experimental results from non-invasive, sub-nanosecond time-resolved optical diagnostics, including direct imaging, transmission imaging (Schlieren and shadow), and optical emission spectroscopy. The physical characteristics of the plasma were studied as a function of variations in the electric field amplitude and polarity, liquid permittivity, and pulse duration. It was found that the plasma size and emission intensity was dependent on the permittivity of the liquid, as well as the voltage polarity, and the structure and dynamics were explained by a 'cold-lightning' mechanism. The under-breakdown dynamics at the liquid-electrode interface were investigated by transmission imaging to provide evidence for a novel mechanism for initiation based on the electrostriction. This mechanism was proposed by collaborators on the project and developed alongside the experimental work in this

Summary of initial results from the Magnetized Dusty Plasma Experiment (MDPX) device

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thomas, Edward

2015-11-01

Dusty (or complex) plasmas are four-component plasma systems consisting of electrons, ions, neutral atoms and charged, solid particulates. These particulates, i.e., the ``dust,'' become charged through interactions with the surrounding plasma particles and are therefore fully coupled to the background. The study of dusty plasmas began with astrophysical studies and has developed into a distinct area of plasma science with contributions to industrial, space, and fundamental plasma science. However, the vast majority of the laboratory studies are performed without the presence of a magnetic field. This is because, compared to the masses of the electrons and ions, the dust particles are significantly more massive and therefore the charge-to-mass ratio of the dust is very small. As a result, large (B > 1 T) magnetic fields are required to achieve conditions in which the dynamics of electrons, ions, and dust particles are dominated by the magnetic field. This presentation will provide a brief description of the design of the large bore (50 cm diameter x 158 cm long), multi-configuration, 4-Tesla class, superconducting magnet and integrated plasma chamber optimized for the study of dusty plasmas at high magnetic field - the MDPX device. The presentation will then focus on initial results of measurements made using MDPX - including observations of a new type of imposed ordered structures formed by the dust particles in a magnetized plasma, E x B driven flows of the particles, and observations of instabilities. This work is a collaboration of the author with Uwe Konopka (Auburn), Robert L. Merlino (Univ. of Iowa), Marlene Rosenberg (UCSD), and the MDPX team at Auburn University. Construction of the MDPX device was supported by the NSF-MRI program. Operations are supported by the NSF and DOE.

Angular distribution of ions and extreme ultraviolet emission in laser-produced tin droplet plasma

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chen, Hong; Duan, Lian; Lan, Hui

Angular-resolved ion time-of-flight spectra as well as extreme ultraviolet radiation in laser-produced tin droplet plasma are investigated experimentally and theoretically. Tin droplets with a diameter of 150 μm are irradiated by a pulsed Nd:YAG laser. The ion time-of-flight spectra measured from the plasma formed by laser irradiation of the tin droplets are interpreted in terms of a theoretical elliptical Druyvesteyn distribution to deduce ion density distributions including kinetic temperatures of the plasma. The opacity of the plasma for extreme ultraviolet radiation is calculated based on the deduced ion densities and temperatures, and the angular distribution of extreme ultraviolet radiation is expressedmore » as a function of the opacity using the Beer–Lambert law. Our results show that the calculated angular distribution of extreme ultraviolet radiation is in satisfactory agreement with the experimental data.« less

Effect of tapered magnetic field on expanding laser-produced plasma for heavy-ion inertial fusion

DOE PAGES

Kanesue, Takeshi; Ikeda, Shunsuke

2016-12-20

A laser ion source is a promising candidate as an ion source for heavy ion inertial fusion (HIF), where a pulsed ultra-intense and low-charged heavy ion beam is required. It is a key development for a laser ion source to transport laser-produced plasma with a magnetic field to achieve a high current beam. The effect of a tapered magnetic field on laser produced plasma is demonstrated by comparing the results with a straight solenoid magnet. The magnetic field of interest is a wider aperture on a target side and narrower aperture on an extraction side. Furthermore, based on the experimentallymore » obtained results, the performance of a scaled laser ion source for HIF was estimated.« less

Light source employing laser-produced plasma

DOEpatents

Tao, Yezheng; Tillack, Mark S

2013-09-17

A system and a method of generating radiation and/or particle emissions are disclosed. In at least some embodiments, the system includes at least one laser source that generates a first pulse and a second pulse in temporal succession, and a target, where the target (or at least a portion the target) becomes a plasma upon being exposed to the first pulse. The plasma expand after the exposure to the first pulse, the expanded plasma is then exposed to the second pulse, and at least one of a radiation emission and a particle emission occurs after the exposure to the second pulse. In at least some embodiments, the target is a solid piece of material, and/or a time period between the first and second pulses is less than 1 microsecond (e.g., 840 ns).

French lyophilized plasma versus fresh frozen plasma for the initial management of trauma-induced coagulopathy: a randomized open-label trial.

PubMed

Garrigue, D; Godier, A; Glacet, A; Labreuche, J; Kipnis, E; Paris, C; Duhamel, A; Resch, E; Bauters, A; Machuron, F; Renom, P; Goldstein, P; Tavernier, B; Sailliol, A; Susen, S

2018-03-01

Essentials An immediate supply of plasma in case of trauma-induced coagulopathy is required. The Traucc trial compared French Lyophilised Plasma (FLyP) and Fresh Frozen Plasma (FFP). FLyP achieved higher fibrinogen concentrations compared with FFP. FLyP led to a more rapid coagulopathy improvement than FFP. Background Guidelines recommend beginning hemostatic resuscitation immediately in trauma patients. We aimed to investigate if French lyophilized plasma (FLyP) was more effective than fresh frozen plasma (FFP) for the initial management of trauma-induced coagulopathy. Methods In an open-label, phase 3, randomized trial (NCT02750150), we enrolled adult trauma patients requiring an emergency pack of 4 plasma units within 6 h of injury. We randomly assigned patients to receive 4-FLyP units or 4-FFP units. The primary endpoint was fibrinogen concentration at 45 min after randomization. Secondary outcomes included time to transfusion, changes in hemostatic parameters at different time-points, blood product requirements and 30-day in-hospital mortality. Results Forty-eight patients were randomized (FLyP, n = 24; FFP, n = 24). FLyP reduced the time from randomization to transfusion of first plasma unit compared with FFP (median[IQR],14[5-30] vs. 77[64-90] min). FLyP achieved a higher fibrinogen concentration 45 min after randomization compared with FFP (baseline-adjusted mean difference, 0.29 g L -1 ; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.08-0.49) and a greater improvement in prothrombin time ratio, factor V and factor II. The between-group differences in coagulation parameters remained significant at 6 h. FLyP reduced fibrinogen concentrate requirements. Thirty-day in-hospital mortality rate was 22% with FLyP and 29% with FFP. Conclusion FLyP led to a more rapid, pronounced and extended increase in fibrinogen concentrations and coagulopathy improvement compared with FFP in the initial management of trauma patients. FLyP represents an attractive option for

Simulation of Mini-Magnetospheric Plasma Propulsion (M2P2) Interacting with an External Plasma Wind

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Winglee, R. M.; Euripides, P.; Ziemba, T.; Slough, J.; Giersch, L.

2003-01-01

Substantial progress has been made over the last year in the development of the laboratory Mini-Magnetospheric Plasma Propulsion (M2P2) prototype. The laboratory testing has shown that that the plasma can be produced at high neutral gas efficiency, at high temperatures (a few tens of eV) with excellent confinement up to the point where chamber wall interactions dominate the physics. This paper investigates the performance of the prototype as it is opposed by an external plasma acting as a surrogate for the solar wind. The experiments were performed in 5ft diameter by 6ft long vacuum chamber at the University of Washington. The solar wind source comprised of a 33 kWe arc jet attached to a 200 kWe inductively generated plasma source. The dual plasma sources allow the interaction to be studied for different power levels, shot duration and production method. It is shown that plasma from the solar wind source (SWS) is able to penetrate the field of the M2P2 magnetic when no plasma is present. With operation of the M2P2 plasma source at only 1.5 kWe, the penetration of the SWS even at the highest power of operation at 200 kWe is stopped. This deflection is shown to be greatly enhanced over that produced by the magnet alone. In addition it is shown that with the presence of the SWS, M2P2 is able to produce enhanced magnetized plasma production out to at least 10 magnet radii where the field strength is only marginally greater than the terrestrial field. The results are consistent with the initial predictions that kWe M2P2 systems would be able to deflect several hundred kWe plasma winds to produce enhanced propulsion for a spacecraft.

The Influence of the Hall Term on the Development of Magnetized Laser-Produced Plasma Jets

DOE PAGES

Hamlin, N.D.; Seyler, C. E.; Khiar, B.

2018-04-29

We present 2D axisymmetric simulation results describing the influence of the Hall term on laser-produced plasma jets and their interaction with an applied magnetic field parallel to the laser axis. Bending of the poloidal B-field lines produces an MHD shock structure surrounding a conical cavity, and a jet is produced from the convergence of the shock envelope. Both the jet and the conical cavity underneath it are bound by fast MHD shocks. We compare the MHD results generated using the extended-MHD code Physics as an Extended-MHD Relaxation System with an Efficient Upwind Scheme (PERSEUS) with MHD results generated using GORGONmore » and find reasonable agreement. We then present extended-MHD results generated using PERSEUS, which show that the Hall term has several effects on the plasma jet evolution. A hot low-density current-carrying layer of plasma develops just outside the plume, which results in a helical rather than a purely poloidal B-field, and reduces magnetic stresses, resulting in delayed flow convergence and jet formation. The flow is partially frozen into the helical field, resulting in azimuthal rotation of the jet. The Hall term also produces field-aligned current in strongly magnetized regions. In particular, we find the influence of Hall physics on this problem to be scale-dependent. In conclusion, this points to the importance of mitigating the Hall effect in a laboratory setup, by increasing the jet density and system dimensions, in order to avoid inaccurate extrapolation to astrophysical scales.« less

The Influence of the Hall Term on the Development of Magnetized Laser-Produced Plasma Jets

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hamlin, N.D.; Seyler, C. E.; Khiar, B.

We present 2D axisymmetric simulation results describing the influence of the Hall term on laser-produced plasma jets and their interaction with an applied magnetic field parallel to the laser axis. Bending of the poloidal B-field lines produces an MHD shock structure surrounding a conical cavity, and a jet is produced from the convergence of the shock envelope. Both the jet and the conical cavity underneath it are bound by fast MHD shocks. We compare the MHD results generated using the extended-MHD code Physics as an Extended-MHD Relaxation System with an Efficient Upwind Scheme (PERSEUS) with MHD results generated using GORGONmore » and find reasonable agreement. We then present extended-MHD results generated using PERSEUS, which show that the Hall term has several effects on the plasma jet evolution. A hot low-density current-carrying layer of plasma develops just outside the plume, which results in a helical rather than a purely poloidal B-field, and reduces magnetic stresses, resulting in delayed flow convergence and jet formation. The flow is partially frozen into the helical field, resulting in azimuthal rotation of the jet. The Hall term also produces field-aligned current in strongly magnetized regions. In particular, we find the influence of Hall physics on this problem to be scale-dependent. In conclusion, this points to the importance of mitigating the Hall effect in a laboratory setup, by increasing the jet density and system dimensions, in order to avoid inaccurate extrapolation to astrophysical scales.« less

Evaluation of pressure in a plasma produced by laser ablation of steel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hermann, Jörg; Axente, Emanuel; Craciun, Valentin; Taleb, Aya; Pelascini, Frédéric

2018-05-01

We investigated the time evolution of pressure in the plume generated by laser ablation with ultraviolet nanosecond laser pulses in a near-atmospheric argon atmosphere. These conditions were previously identified to produce a plasma of properties that facilitate accurate spectroscopic diagnostics. Using steel as sample material, the present investigations benefit from the large number of reliable spectroscopic data available for iron. Recording time-resolved emission spectra with an echelle spectrometer, we were able to perform accurate measurements of electron density and temperature over a time interval from 200 ns to 12 μs. Assuming local thermodynamic equilibrium, we computed the plasma composition within the ablated vapor material and the corresponding kinetic pressure. The time evolution of plume pressure is shown to reach a minimum value below the pressure of the background gas. This indicates that the process of vapor-gas interdiffusion has a negligible influence on the plume expansion dynamics in the considered timescale. Moreover, the results promote the plasma pressure as a control parameter in calibration-free laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy.

Effect of heat wave at the initial stage in spark plasma sintering.

PubMed

Zhang, Long; Zhang, Xiaomin; Chu, Zhongxiang; Peng, Song; Yan, Zimin; Liang, Yuan

2016-01-01

Thermal effects are important considerations at the initial stage in spark plasma sintering of non-conductive Al2O3 powders. The generalized thermo-elastic theory is introduced to describe the influence of the heat transport and thermal focusing caused by thermal wave propagation within a constrained space and transient time. Simulations show that low sintering temperature can realize high local temperature because of the superposition effect of heat waves. Thus, vacancy concentration differences between the sink and the cross section of the particles increase relative to that observed during pressure-less and hot-pressure sintering. Results show that vacancy concentration differences are significantly improved during spark plasma sintering, thereby decreasing the time required for sintering.

Measurements of Electron Temperature and Density Profiles of Plasmas Produced by Nike KrF Laser for Laser Plasma Instability (LPI) Research

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oh, Jaechul; Weaver, J. L.; Obenschain, S. P.; Schmitt, A. J.; Kehne, D. M.; Karasik, M.; Chan, L.-Y.; Serlin, V.; Phillips, L.

2012-10-01

ExperimentsfootnotetextJ. Oh, et al, GO5.4, APS DPP (2010).^,footnotetextJ. L. Weaver, et al, GO5.3, APS DPP (2010). using Nike KrF laser observed LPI signatures from CH plasmas at the laser intensities above ˜1x10^15 W/cm^2. Knowing spatial profiles of temperature (Te) and density (ne) in the underdense coronal region (0 < n < nc/4) of the plasma is essential to understanding the LPI observation. However, numerical simulation was the only way to access the profiles for the previous experiments. In the current Nike LPI experiment, a side-on grid imaging refractometer (GIR)footnotetextR. S. Craxton, et al, Phys. Fluids B 5, 4419 (1993). is being deployed for measuring the underdense plasma profiles. The GIR will resolve Te and ne in space taking a 2D snapshot of probe laser (λ= 263 nm, δt = 10 psec) beamlets (50μm spacing) refracted by the plasma at a selected time during the laser illumination. Time-resolved spectrometers with an absolute-intensity-calibrated photodiode array and a streak camera will simultaneously monitor light emission from the plasma in spectral ranges relevant to Raman (SRS) and two plasmon decay (TDP) instabilities. The experimental study of effects of the plasma profiles on the LPI initiation will be presented.

An Experimental Study of a Pulsed Electromagnetic Plasma Accelerator

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Thio, Y. C. Francis; Eskridge, Richard; Lee, Mike; Smith, James; Martin, Adam; Markusic, Tom E.; Cassibry, Jason T.; Rodgers, Stephen L. (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

Experiments are being performed on the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) pulsed electromagnetic plasma accelerator (PEPA-0). Data produced from the experiments provide an opportunity to further understand the plasma dynamics in these thrusters via detailed computational modeling. The detailed and accurate understanding of the plasma dynamics in these devices holds the key towards extending their capabilities in a number of applications, including their applications as high power (greater than 1 MW) thrusters, and their use for producing high-velocity, uniform plasma jets for experimental purposes. For this study, the 2-D MHD modeling code, MACH2, is used to provide detailed interpretation of the experimental data. At the same time, a 0-D physics model of the plasma initial phase is developed to guide our 2-D modeling studies.

2-D Magnetohydrodynamic Modeling of A Pulsed Plasma Thruster

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Thio, Y. C. Francis; Cassibry, J. T.; Wu, S. T.; Rodgers, Stephen L. (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

Experiments are being performed on the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) MK-1 pulsed plasma thruster. Data produced from the experiments provide an opportunity to further understand the plasma dynamics in these thrusters via detailed computational modeling. The detailed and accurate understanding of the plasma dynamics in these devices holds the key towards extending their capabilities in a number of applications, including their applications as high power (greater than 1 MW) thrusters, and their use for producing high-velocity, uniform plasma jets for experimental purposes. For this study, the 2-D MHD modeling code, MACH2, is used to provide detailed interpretation of the experimental data. At the same time, a 0-D physics model of the plasma initial phase is developed to guide our 2-D modeling studies.

Cylindrical stationary striations in surface wave produced plasma columns of argon

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kumar, Rajneesh; Kulkarni, Sanjay V.; Bora, Dhiraj

2007-12-01

Striations are a good example of manifestation of a glow discharge. In the present investigation, stationary striations in the surface wave produced plasma column are formed. Physical parameters (length, number, etc.) of such striations can be controlled by operating parameters. With the help of bifurcation theory, experimental results are explained by considering two-step ionization in the surface wave discharge mechanism in argon gas. It is also observed that the bifurcation parameter is a function of input power, working pressure, and tube radius.

Injection of a coaxial-gun-produced magnetized plasma into a background helicon plasma

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Yue; Lynn, Alan; Gilmore, Mark; Hsu, Scott

2014-10-01

A compact coaxial plasma gun is employed for experimental investigation of plasma bubble relaxation into a lower density background plasma. Experiments are being conducted in the linear device HelCat at UNM. The gun is powered by a 120-uF ignitron-switched capacitor bank, which is operated in a range of 5 to 10 kV and 100 kA. Multiple diagnostics are employed to investigate the plasma relaxation process. Magnetized argon plasma bubbles with velocities 1.2Cs, densities 1020 m-3 and electron temperature 13eV have been achieved. The background helicon plasma has density 1013 m-3, magnetic field from 200 to 500 Gauss and electron temperature 1eV. Several distinct operational regimes with qualitatively different dynamics are identified by fast CCD camera images. Additionally a B-dot probe array has been employed to measure the spatial toroidal and poloidal magnetic flux evolution to identify plasma bubble configurations. Experimental data and analysis will be presented.

Density and temperature characterization of long-scale length, near-critical density controlled plasma produced from ultra-low density plastic foam

PubMed Central

Chen, S. N.; Iwawaki, T.; Morita, K.; Antici, P.; Baton, S. D.; Filippi, F.; Habara, H.; Nakatsutsumi, M.; Nicolaï , P.; Nazarov, W.; Rousseaux, C.; Starodubstev, M.; Tanaka, K. A.; Fuchs, J.

2016-01-01

The ability to produce long-scale length (i.e. millimeter scale-length), homogeneous plasmas is of interest in studying a wide range of fundamental plasma processes. We present here a validated experimental platform to create and diagnose uniform plasmas with a density close or above the critical density. The target consists of a polyimide tube filled with an ultra low-density plastic foam where it was heated by x-rays, produced by a long pulse laser irradiating a copper foil placed at one end of the tube. The density and temperature of the ionized foam was retrieved by using x-ray radiography and proton radiography was used to verify the uniformity of the plasma. Plasma temperatures of 5–10 eV and densities around 1021 cm−3 are measured. This well-characterized platform of uniform density and temperature plasma is of interest for experiments using large-scale laser platforms conducting High Energy Density Physics investigations. PMID:26923471

Plasma Discharge Initiation of Explosives in Rock Blasting Application: A Case Study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jae-Ou, Chae; Young-Jun, Jeong; V, M. Shmelev; A, A. Denicaev; V, M. Poutchkov; V, Ravi

2006-07-01

A plasma discharge initiation system for the explosive volumetric combustion charge was designed, investigated and developed for practical application. Laboratory scale experiments were carried out before conducting the large scale field tests. The resultant explosions gave rise to less noise, insignificant seismic vibrations and good specific explosive consumption for rock blasting. Importantly, the technique was found to be safe and environmentally friendly.

Spectrally and angularly resolved measurements of three-halves harmonic emission from laser-produced plasmas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kang, N.; Liu, H.; Lin, Z.; Lei, A.; Zhou, S.; Fang, Z.; An, H.; Li, K.; Fan, W.

2017-10-01

Spectra of three-halves harmonic emissions (3{ω }0/2) from laser-produced plasmas were measured at different angles, including both forward and backward sides, from the direction of incident laser beams. The 3{ω }0/2 emitted from carbon-hydrogen (CH) targets was observed to be larger than that from aluminum (Al) targets with the same incident laser intensity, which supports the argument that the two-plasmon decay (TPD) instability could be inhibited by using medium-Z ablator instead of CH ablator in direct-drive inertial confinement fusion. Besides, the measured 3{ω }0/2-incident intensity curves for both materials suggest relatively lower threshold of TPD than the calculated values. In experiments with thin Al targets, the angular distribution of the blue- and red-shifted peaks of 3{ω }0/2 spectra were obtained, which shows that the most intense blue- and red-shifted peaks may not be produced in paired plasmons, but the spectra produced by their ‘twin’ plasmons were not observed. Because 3{ω }0/2 may have been influenced by other physical processes during their propagation from their birth places to the detectors, the mismatches on emission angle, wavelength shift, and threshold may be qualitatively explained through the assumption that small-scale light filaments widely existed in the corona of laser-produced plasmas.

Extreme plasma states in laser-governed vacuum breakdown.

PubMed

Efimenko, Evgeny S; Bashinov, Aleksei V; Bastrakov, Sergei I; Gonoskov, Arkady A; Muraviev, Alexander A; Meyerov, Iosif B; Kim, Arkady V; Sergeev, Alexander M

2018-02-05

Triggering vacuum breakdown at laser facility is expected to provide rapid electron-positron pair production for studies in laboratory astrophysics and fundamental physics. However, the density of the produced plasma may cease to increase at a relativistic critical density, when the plasma becomes opaque. Here, we identify the opportunity of breaking this limit using optimal beam configuration of petawatt-class lasers. Tightly focused laser fields allow generating plasma in a small focal volume much less than λ 3 and creating extreme plasma states in terms of density and produced currents. These states can be regarded to be a new object of nonlinear plasma physics. Using 3D QED-PIC simulations we demonstrate a possibility of reaching densities over 10 25  cm -3 , which is an order of magnitude higher than expected earlier. Controlling the process via initial target parameters provides an opportunity to reach the discovered plasma states at the upcoming laser facilities.

Identification of hydrogenlike and heliumlike transitions in the spectrum of laser-produced magnesium plasmas

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Moreno, J. C.; Goldsmith, S.; Griem, H. R.; Cohen, Leonard; Knauer, J.

1990-01-01

Nonresonance spectral lines of Mg XII and Mg XI emitted by magnesium laser-produced plasmas have been observed in the extreme-vacuum-ultraviolet region and their transitions classified. As many as eight beams of the Omega laser system of the Laboratory for Laser Energetics at the University of Rochester were linearly focused onto magnesium-coated flat targets to produce linear plasma radiation sources from 3 to 6 mm long. The spectra were photographed end-on with a grazing-incidence spectrograph. The identified Mg XII lines are classified as 2s-3p, 2p-3d, 2s-4p, 2p-4d, and 3d-4f transitions. The identified Mg XI lines are classified as 1s2s-1s3p, 1s2p-1s3d, 1s2p-1s4d, 1s3p-1s4d, and 1s3d-1s4f.

Emerging trends in X-ray spectroscopic studies of plasma produced by intense laser beams

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Arora, V., E-mail: arora@rrcat.gov.in; Chakera, J. A.; Naik, P. A.

2015-07-31

X-ray line emission from hot dense plasmas, produced by ultra-short high intensity laser systems, has been studied experimentally in recent years for applications in materials science as well as for back-lighter applications. By virtue of the CPA technology, several laser facilities delivering pulses with peak powers in excess of one petawatt (focused intensities > 10{sup 20} W-cm{sup −2}) have either been commissioned across the globe during the last few years or are presently under construction. On the other hand, hard x-ray sources on table top, generating ultra-short duration x-rays at a repetition rate up to 10 kHz, are routinely available formore » time resolved x-ray diffraction studies. In this paper, the recent experiments on x-ray spectroscopic studies of plasma produced by 45 fs, Ti:sapphire laser pulses (focused iintensity > 10{sup 18} W-cm{sup −2}) at RRCAT Indore will be presented.« less

X-ray High-resolution Spectroscopy for Laser-produced Plasma

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barbato, F.; Scarpellini, D.; Malizia, A.; Gaudio, P.; Richetta, M.; Antonelli, L.

The study of the emission spectrum gives information about the material generating the spectrum itself and the condition in which this is generated. The wavelength spectra lines are linked to the specific element and plasma conditions (electron temperature, density), while their shape is influenced by several physical effects like Stark and Doppler ones. In this work we study the X-ray emission spectra of a copper laser-produced plasma by using a spherical bent crystal spectrometer to measure the electron temperature. The facility used is the laser TVLPS, at the Tor Vergata University in Rome. It consists of a Nd:Glass source (in first harmonic - 1064 nm) whose pulse parameters are: 8 J in energy, time duration of 15 ns and a focal spot diameter of 200 μm. The adopted spectrometer is based on a spherical bent crystal of muscovite. The device combines the focusing property of a spherical mirror with the Bragg's law. This allows to obtain a great power resolution but a limited range of analysis. In our case the resolution is on average 80 eV. As it is well-known, the position of the detector on the Rowland's circle is linked to the specific spectral range which has been studied. To select the area to be investigated, we acquired spectra by means of a flat spectrometer. The selected area is centered on 8.88 Å. To calibrate the spectrum we wrote a ray-tracing MATLAB code, which calculates the detector alignment parameters and calibration curve. We used the method of line ratio to measure the electron temperature. This is possible because we assumed the plasma to be in LTE condition. The temperature value was obtained comparing the experimental one, given by the line ratio, with the theoretical one, preceded by FLYCHK simulations.

Shack-Hartmann Electron Densitometer (SHED): An Optical System for Diagnosing Free Electron Density in Laser-Produced Plasmas

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-11-01

a few nanoseconds. The challenge remains to diagnose plasmas via the free electron density in this short window of time and often in a small volume ...Free Electron Density in Laser-Produced Plasmas by Anthony R Valenzuela Approved for public release; distribution is...US Army Research Laboratory Shack-Hartmann Electron Densitometer (SHED): An Optical System for Diagnosing Free Electron Density in Laser

Study of plasma parameters in a pulsed plasma accelerator using triple Langmuir probe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Borthakur, S.; Talukdar, N.; Neog, N. K.; Borthakur, T. K.

2018-01-01

A Triple Langmuir Probe (TLP) has been used to study plasma parameters of a transient plasma produced in a newly developed Pulsed Plasma Accelerator system. In this experiment, a TLP with a capacitor based current mode biasing circuit was used that instantaneously gives voltage traces in an oscilloscope which are directly proportional to the plasma electron temperature and density. The electron temperature (Te) and plasma density (ne) of the plasma are measured with the help of this probe and found to be 24.13 eV and 3.34 × 1021/m3 at the maximum energy (-15 kV) of the system, respectively. An attempt was also made to analyse the time-dependent fluctuations in plasma parameters detected by the highly sensitive triple probe. In addition to this, the variation of these parameters under different discharge voltages was studied. The information obtained from these parameters is the initial diagnostics of a new device which is to be dedicated to study the impact of high heat flux plasma stream upon material surfaces inside an ITER like tokamak.

Morphological and structural effects on tungsten targets produced by fusion plasma pulses from a table top plasma focus

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Inestrosa-Izurieta, M. J.; Ramos-Moore, E.; Soto, L.

2015-09-01

A table top plasma focus device operating at hundreds of joules was used to simulate an equivalent damage factor than the obtained on the divertor in tokamak experiments. Using the ejected plasma produced after the pinch disruptions, the effects on tungsten targets from 50 cumulative plasma shocks with power fluxes per shot between 2.6 and 9200 kW cm-2 and with a duration time in the order of tens of nanoseconds (damage factor in the order of 100-103 (W cm-2)s1/2) were studied. Morphological analysis shows an increasing appearance of cracked surfaces with holes, fissures and defects, suggesting a potential progression of stress effects and a fast heat load that melts the surface, ending in thermal contractions that recrystallize the surface of the target. A structural analysis demonstrates a compressive stress development and suggests that part of the energy is released in the melting of the surface in case of a plasma shock with a power flux of 9.2 MW cm-2, 75 ns duration pulse, 2.5   ×   103 (W cm-2)s1/2 damage factor. How to increase the damage factor by one order of magnitude up to the expected value from type I ELMs on the ITER divertor, i.e. 104 (W cm-2)s1/2 is discussed.

Modeling of non-thermal plasma in flammable gas mixtures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Napartovich, A. P.; Kochetov, I. V.; Leonov, S. B.

2008-07-01

An idea of using plasma-assisted methods of fuel ignition is based on non-equilibrium generation of chemically active species that speed up the combustion process. It is believed that gain in energy consumed for combustion acceleration by plasmas is due to the non-equilibrium nature of discharge plasma, which allows radicals to be produced in an above-equilibrium amount. Evidently, the size of the effect is strongly dependent on the initial temperature, pressure, and composition of the mixture. Of particular interest is comparison between thermal ignition of a fuel-air mixture and non-thermal plasma initiation of the combustion. Mechanisms of thermal ignition in various fuel-air mixtures have been studied for years, and a number of different mechanisms are known providing an agreement with experiments at various conditions. The problem is -- how to conform thermal chemistry approach to essentially non-equilibrium plasma description. The electric discharge produces much above-equilibrium amounts of chemically active species: atoms, radicals and ions. The point is that despite excess concentrations of a number of species, total concentration of these species is far below concentrations of the initial gas mixture. Therefore, rate coefficients for reactions of these discharge produced species with other gas mixture components are well known quantities controlled by the translational temperature, which can be calculated from the energy balance equation taking into account numerous processes initiated by plasma. A numerical model was developed combining traditional approach of thermal combustion chemistry with advanced description of the plasma kinetics based on solution of electron Boltzmann equation. This approach allows us to describe self-consistently strongly non-equilibrium electric discharge in chemically unstable (ignited) gas. Equations of pseudo-one-dimensional gas dynamics were solved in parallel with a system of thermal chemistry equations, kinetic equations

ECR Plasma Sterilisation, Argon and Nitrogen Treated Plasma

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Helhel, Selcuk; Oksuz, Lutfi; Cerezci, Osman; Rad, Abbas Y.

2004-09-01

ECR type plasma system was built to produce plasma in axial direction. Plasma was initiated in a specially designed Nickel - Chrome cylindrical vacuum tube which is being driven through dielectric window by 2.45GHz commercial magnetron source. Tube is also surrounded by a coil driving 150ADC to generate approximately 875Gauss magnetic field at the center. Langmuir probe and ICCD for optical spectrometry were used to characterize internal parameters like electron density, electron temperature and different characteristics of the plasma. Bacillus Subtilis var nigar, bacillus Stearothermophilus, bacillus pumilus E601, Escherichia coli and staphylococcus aureus type bacteria were selected as a reference. Each is resistant for different actions while the Bacilus cereus is the most resistant bacteria for microwave interaction. This study presents the effect of system on used bacteria. Those are gram positive and gram negative bacteria that refers to structure of cell wall. The sterilization efficacy of Argon type ECR plasma was found to be over 99, 5% in Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Bacillus subtilis (vegetative cell), Bacillus cereus (vegetative cell), Bacillus pumilus and Escherichia coli. System response type is less than 2 minutes.

Experimental studies of the effect target geometry on the evolution of laser produced plasma plumes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Beatty, Cuyler; Anderson, Austin; Iratcabal, Jeremy; Dutra, Eric; Covington, Aaron

2016-10-01

The expansion of the laser plumes was shown to be dependent on the initial target geometry. A 16 channel framing camera was used to record the plume shape and propagation speeds were determined from analysis of the images. Plastic targets were manufactured using different methods including 3D printing, CNC machining and vacuum casting. Preliminary target designs were made using a 3D printer and ABS plastic material. These targets were then tested using a 3 J laser with a 5 ns duration pulse. Targets with a deep conical depression were shown to produce highly collimated plumes when compared to flat top targets. Preliminary results of these experiments will be discussed along with planned future experiments that will use the indented targets with a 30 J laser with a 0.8 ns duration pulse in preparation for pinched laser plume experiments at the Nevada Terawatt Facility. Other polymers that are readily available in a deuterated form will also be explored as part of an effort to develop a cost effective plasma plume target for follow on neutron production experiments. Dr. Austin Anderson.

Ion flux enhancements and oscillations in spatially confined laser produced aluminum plasmas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Singh, S. C.; Fallon, C.; Hayden, P.; Mujawar, M.; Yeates, P.; Costello, J. T.

2014-09-01

Ion signals from laser produced plasmas (LPPs) generated inside aluminum rectangular cavities at a fixed depth d = 2 mm and varying width, x = 1.0, 1.6, and 2.75 mm were obtained by spatially varying the position of a negatively biased Langmuir probe. Damped oscillatory features superimposed on Maxwellian distributed ion signals were observed. Depending on the distance of the probe from the target surface, three to twelve fold enhancements in peak ion density were observed via confinement of the LPP, generated within rectangular cavities of varying width which constrained the plasma plume to near one dimensional expansion in the vertical plane. The effects of lateral spatial confinement on the expansion velocity of the LPP plume front, the temperature, density and expansion velocity of ions, enhancement of ion flux, and ion energy distribution were recorded. The periodic behavior of ion signals was analyzed and found to be related to the electron plasma frequency and electron-ion collision frequency. The effects of confinement and enhancement of various ion parameters and expansion velocities of the LPP ion plume are explained on the basis of shock wave theory.

In situ measurement of VUV/UV radiation from low-pressure microwave-produced plasma in Ar/O2 gas mixtures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Iglesias, E. J.; Mitschker, F.; Fiebrandt, M.; Bibinov, N.; Awakowicz, P.

2017-08-01

Ultraviolet (UV) and vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) spectral irradiance is determined in low-pressure microwave-produced plasma, which is regularly used for polymer surface treatment. The re-emitted fluorescence in the UV/VIS spectral range from a sodium salicylate layer is measured. This fluorescence is related to VUV/UV radiation in different spectral bands based on cut-off filters. The background produced by direct emitted radiation in the fluorescence spectral region is quantified using a specific background filter, thus enabling the use of the whole fluorescence spectral range. A novel procedure is applied to determine the absolute value of the VUV/UV irradiance on a substrate. For that, an independent measurement of the absolute spectral emissivity of the plasma in the UV is performed. The measured irradiances on a substrate from a 25 Pa Ar/O2-produced plasma are in the range of 1015-1016 (photon~ s-1 cm-2). These values include the contribution from impurities present in the discharge.

Sterilization of Long Tube Inner Surface Using Oxygen and Water Vapor Plasmas Produced by AC HV Discharge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kitazaki, Satoshi; Hayashi, Nobuya

2009-10-01

Oxygen and water vapor plasmas inside a narrow long tube were produced using an AC HV glow discharge at low pressure in order to sterilize the inner surface of a tube. In order to produce plasma inside a narrow tube, an AC high voltage was adopted. The material of the tube used in this experiment was silicon rubber. The length and diameter of the tubes ranged from 300 to 1,000 mm and from 1 to 4 mm, respectively. The tube was placed in a stainless steel vacuum chamber and was evacuated to 10 Pa using a rotary pump. The material gas for plasma and radical productions was pure oxygen or water vapor, which was introduced to the chamber from a gas cylinder or water reservoir. Light emission spectral lines of oxygen and OH radicals were observed at 777 nm and 306 nm, respectively. The chemical indicator was inserted into the tube and turned to a yellowish color (from the original red) after a treatment, which indicates the generation of sufficient oxygen on OH radicals for sterilization. A tube with the length of 500 mm and diameter of 4 mm is sterilized using oxygen plasma by 10 minutes treatment. Also a tube with the length of 300 mm and diameter of 2 mm is sterilized using water vapor plasma by 5 minutes treatment.

Multistage plasma initiation process by pulsed CO2 laser irradiation of a Ti sample in an ambient gas (He, Ar, or N2)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hermann, J.; Boulmer-Leborgne, C.; Mihailescu, I. N.; Dubreuil, B.

1993-02-01

New experimental results are reported on plasma initiation in front of a titanium sample irradiated by ir (λ=10.6 μm) laser pulses in an ambient gas (He, Ar, and N2) at pressures ranging from several Torr up to the atmosphere. The plasma is studied by space- and time-resolved emission spectroscopy, while sample vaporization is probed by laser-induced fluorescence spectroscopy. Threshold laser intensities leading to the formation of a plasma in the vapor and in the ambient gases are determined. Experimental results support the model of a vaporization mechanism for the plasma initiation (vaporization-initiated plasma breakdown). The plasma initiation is described by simple numerical criteria based on a two-stage process. Theoretical predictions are found to be in a reasonable agreement with the experiment. This study provides also a clear explanation of the influence of the ambient gas on the laser beam-metal surface energy transfer. Laser irradiation always causes an important vaporization when performed in He, while in the case of Ar or N2, the interaction is reduced in heating and vaporization of some surface defects and impurities.

Producing High Intense Attosecond Pulse Train by Interaction of Three-Color Pulse and Overdense Plasma

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Salehi, M.; Mirzanejad, S.

2017-05-01

Amplifying the attosecond pulse by the chirp pulse amplification method is impossible. Furthermore, the intensity of attosecond pulse is low in the interaction of laser pulse and underdense plasma. This motivates us to propose using a multi-color pulse to produce the high intense attosecond pulse. In the present study, the relativistic interaction of a three-color linearly-polarized laser-pulse with highly overdense plasma is studied. We show that the combination of {{ω }}1, {{ω }}2 and {{ω }}3 frequencies decreases the instance full width at half maximum reflected attosecond pulse train from the overdense plasma surface. Moreover, we show that the three-color pulse increases the intensity of generated harmonics, which is explained by the relativistic oscillating mirror model. The obtained results demonstrate that if the three-color laser pulse interacts with overdense plasma, it will enhance two orders of magnitude of intensity of ultra short attosecond pulses in comparison with monochromatic pulse.

Effect of actuating voltage and discharge gap on plasma assisted detonation initiation process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Siyin, ZHOU; Xueke, CHE; Wansheng, NIE; Di, WANG

2018-06-01

The influence of actuating voltage and discharge gap on plasma assisted detonation initiation by alternating current dielectric barrier discharge was studied in detail. A loose coupling method was used to simulate the detonation initiation process of a hydrogen–oxygen mixture in a detonation tube under different actuating voltage amplitudes and discharge gap sizes. Both the discharge products and the detonation forming process assisted by the plasma were analyzed. It was found that the patterns of the temporal and spatial distributions of discharge products in one cycle keep unchanged as changing the two discharge operating parameters. However, the adoption of a higher actuating voltage leads to a higher active species concentration within the discharge zone, and atom H is the most sensitive to the variations of the actuating voltage amplitude among the given species. Adopting a larger discharge gap results in a lower concentration of the active species, and all species have the same sensitivity to the variations of the gap. With respect to the reaction flow of the detonation tube, the corresponding deflagration to detonation transition (DDT) time and distance become slightly longer when a higher actuating voltage is chosen. The acceleration effect of plasma is more prominent with a smaller discharge gap, and the benefit builds gradually throughout the DDT process. Generally, these two control parameters have little effect on the amplitude of the flow field parameters, and they do not alter the combustion degree within the reaction zone.

7 CFR 1219.31 - Initial nomination and appointment of producer members and alternates.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

...), DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE HASS AVOCADO PROMOTION, RESEARCH, AND INFORMATION Hass Avocado Promotion, Research, and Information Order The Hass Avocado Board § 1219.31 Initial nomination and appointment of producer...

7 CFR 1219.31 - Initial nomination and appointment of producer members and alternates.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

...), DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE HASS AVOCADO PROMOTION, RESEARCH, AND INFORMATION Hass Avocado Promotion, Research, and Information Order The Hass Avocado Board § 1219.31 Initial nomination and appointment of producer...

7 CFR 1219.31 - Initial nomination and appointment of producer members and alternates.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

...), DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE HASS AVOCADO PROMOTION, RESEARCH, AND INFORMATION Hass Avocado Promotion, Research, and Information Order The Hass Avocado Board § 1219.31 Initial nomination and appointment of producer...

7 CFR 1219.31 - Initial nomination and appointment of producer members and alternates.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

...), DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE HASS AVOCADO PROMOTION, RESEARCH, AND INFORMATION Hass Avocado Promotion, Research, and Information Order The Hass Avocado Board § 1219.31 Initial nomination and appointment of producer...

7 CFR 1219.31 - Initial nomination and appointment of producer members and alternates.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

...), DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE HASS AVOCADO PROMOTION, RESEARCH, AND INFORMATION Hass Avocado Promotion, Research, and Information Order The Hass Avocado Board § 1219.31 Initial nomination and appointment of producer...

Triglycerides produced in the livers of fasting rabbits are predominantly stored as opposed to secreted into the plasma

PubMed Central

Tuvdendorj, Demidmaa; Zhang, Xiao-jun; Chinkes, David L.; Wang, Lijian; Wu, Zhanpin; Rodriguez, Noe A.; Herndon, David N.; Wolfe, Robert R.

2015-01-01

Objective The liver plays a central role in regulating fat metabolism; however, it is not clear how the liver distributes the synthesized triglycerides (TGs) to storage and to the plasma. Materials and Methods We have measured the relative distribution of TGs produced in the liver to storage and the plasma by means of U-13C16-palmitate infusion in anesthetized rabbits after an overnight fast. Results The fractional synthesis rates of TGs stored in the liver and secreted into the plasma were not significantly different (Stored vs. Secreted: 31.9 ± 0.8 vs. 27.7 ± 2.6 %•h−1, p > 0.05. However, the absolute synthesis rates of hepatic stored and secreted TGs were 543 ± 158 and 27 ± 7 nmol·kg−1·min−1 respectively, indicating that in fasting rabbits the TGs produced in the liver were predominately stored (92±3%) rather than secreted (8±3%) into the plasma. This large difference was mainly due to the larger pool size of the hepatic TGs which was 21±9-fold that of plasma TGs. Plasma free fatty acids (FFAs) contributed 47±1% of the FA precursor for hepatic TG synthesis, and the remaining 53±1% was derived from hepatic lipid breakdown and possibly plasma TGs depending on the activity of hepatic lipase. Plasma palmitate concentration significantly correlated with hepatic palmitoyl-CoA and TG synthesis. Conclusion In rabbits, after an overnight fast, the absolute synthesis rate of hepatic stored TGs was significantly higher than that of secreted due to the larger pool size of hepatic TGs. The net synthesis rate of TG was approximately half the absolute rate. Plasma FFA is a major determinant of hepatic TG synthesis, and therefore hepatic TG storage. PMID:25682063

Sideways Force Produced During Disruptions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Strauss, H. R.; Paccagnella, R.; Breslau, J.; Jardin, S.; Sugiyama, L.

2012-10-01

We extend previous studies [1] of vertical displacement events (VDE) which can produce disruptions. The emphasis is on the non axisymmetric ``sideways'' wall force Fx. Simulations are performed using the M3D [2] code. A VDE expels magnetic flux through the resistive wall until the last closed flux surface has q < 3. At this point the plasma is unstable to an (m,n) = (2,1) mode. A theory of sideways force produced by this mode in the presence of a VDE is presented. The wall force depends strongly on γτw, where γ is the mode growth rate and τw is the wall resistive penetration time. The force Fx is largest when γτw is a constant of order unity, which depends on the initial conditions. For large values of γτw, the wall force asymptotes to a relatively smaller value, well below the critical value ITER is designed to withstand. The principle of disruption mitigation by massive gas injection is to cause a disruption with large γτw. [4pt] [1] H. R. Strauss, R. Paccagnella, and J. Breslau,Phys. Plasmas 17, 082505 (2010) [2] W. Park, E.V. Belova, G.Y. Fu, X. Tang, H.R. Strauss, L.E. Sugiyama, Phys. Plasmas 6, 1796 (1999).

Studies on cryogenic Xe capillary jet target for laser-produced plasma EUV-light source

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Inoue, T.; Nica, P. E.; Kaku, K.; Shimoura, A.; Amano, S.; Miyamoto, S.; Mochizuki, T.

2006-03-01

In this paper, characterizations of a cryogenic Xe capillary jet target for a laser-produced plasma extreme ultraviolet (EUV) light source are reported. The capillary jet target is a candidate of fast-supplying targets for mitigating debris generation and target consumption in a vacuum chamber without reducing the EUV conversion efficiency. Xe capillary jets (jet velocity ~ 0.4 m/s) were generated in vacuum by using annular nozzles chilled to ~ 170 K at a Xe backing pressure of ~ 0.7 MPa. Forming mechanisms of the capillary jet targets were studied by using numerical calculations. Furthermore, laser-produced plasma EUV generation was performed by irradiating a Nd:YAG laser (1064 nm, ~ 0.5 J, 10 ns, 120 μmφ, ~ 4×10 11 W/cm2) on a Xe capillary jet target (outer / inner diameter = 100 / 70 μmφ). The angular distribution of EUV generation was approximately uniform around the Xe capillary jet target, and the peak kinetic energy of the fast-ions was evaluated to be ~ 2 keV.

Structure and hemocompatibility of nanocrystalline titanium nitride produced under glow-discharge conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sowińska, Agnieszka; Czarnowska, Elżbieta; Tarnowski, Michał; Witkowska, Justyna; Wierzchoń, Tadeusz

2018-04-01

Significant efforts are being made towards developing novel antithrombotic materials. The purpose of the presented study was to characterize two variants of nitrided surface layers produced on alloy Ti-6Al-4V in different areas of low-temperature plasma - at the plasma potential (TiNp) or at the cathode potential (TiNc). The layers were characterized in terms of their microstructure, surface topography and wettability, and platelet response to the environment of different pH. The produced layers were of the TiN + Ti2N + αTiN-type, but the layer produced at the plasma potential was thinner, smoother and had lower surface free energy compared with that produced at the cathode potential. Biological evaluation demonstrated more fibrinogen buildup, less platelet adhesion and aggregation, and fewer strongly activated platelets on the TiNp surface compared with those parameters on the TiNc surface and on the titanium alloy in its initial state. Interestingly, both surface types were significantly resistant to fibrinogen adsorption and platelet adhesion in the environment of lower pH. In conclusion, the nitrided surface layer produced at the plasma potential is a promising material and this basic information is critical for further development of hemocompatible materials.

Man-made vitreous fiber produced from incinerator ash using the thermal plasma technique and application as reinforcement in concrete.

PubMed

Yang, Sheng-Fu; Wang, To-Mai; Lee, Wen-Cheng; Sun, Kin-Seng; Tzeng, Chin-Ching

2010-10-15

This study proposes using thermal plasma technology to treat municipal solid waste incinerator ashes. A feasible fiberization method was developed and applied to produce man-made vitreous fiber (MMVF) from plasma vitrified slag. MMVF were obtained through directly blending the oxide melt stream with high velocity compressed air. The basic technological characteristics of MMVF, including morphology, diameter, shot content, length and chemical resistance, are described in this work. Laboratory experiments were conducted on the fiber-reinforced concrete. The effects of fibrous content on compressive strength and flexural strength are presented. The experimental results showed the proper additive of MMVF in concrete can enhance its mechanical properties. MMVF products produced from incinerator ashes treated with the thermal plasma technique have great potential for reinforcement in concrete. 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Evolution of an electron-positron plasma produced by induced gravitational collapse in binary-driven hypernovae

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Melon Fuksman, J. D.; Becerra, L.; Bianco, C. L.; Karlica, M.; Kovacevic, M.; Moradi, R.; Muccino, M.; Pisani, G. B.; Primorac, D.; Rueda, J. A.; Ruffini, R.; Vereshchagin, G. V.; Wang, Y.

2018-01-01

The binary-driven hypernova (BdHN) model has been introduced in the past years, to explain a subfamily of gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) with energies Eiso ≥ 1052 erg associated with type Ic supernovae. Such BdHNe have as progenitor a tight binary system composed of a carbon-oxigen (CO) core and a neutron star undergoing an induced gravitational collapse to a black hole, triggered by the CO core explosion as a supernova (SN). This collapse produces an optically-thick e+e- plasma, which expands and impacts onto the SN ejecta. This process is here considered as a candidate for the production of X-ray flares, which are frequently observed following the prompt emission of GRBs. In this work we follow the evolution of the e+e- plasma as it interacts with the SN ejecta, by solving the equations of relativistic hydrodynamics numerically. Our results are compatible with the Lorentz factors estimated for the sources that produce the flares, of typically Γ ≲ 4.

Spectral and Atomic Physics Analysis of Xenon L-Shell Emission From High Energy Laser Produced Plasmas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thorn, Daniel; Kemp, G. E.; Widmann, K.; Benjamin, R. D.; May, M. J.; Colvin, J. D.; Barrios, M. A.; Fournier, K. B.; Liedahl, D.; Moore, A. S.; Blue, B. E.

2016-10-01

The spectrum of the L-shell (n =2) radiation in mid to high-Z ions is useful for probing plasma conditions in the multi-keV temperature range. Xenon in particular with its L-shell radiation centered around 4.5 keV is copiously produced from plasmas with electron temperatures in the 5-10 keV range. We report on a series of time-resolved L-shell Xe spectra measured with the NIF X-ray Spectrometer (NXS) in high-energy long-pulse (>10 ns) laser produced plasmas at the National Ignition Facility. The resolving power of the NXS is sufficiently high (E/ ∂E >100) in the 4-5 keV spectral band that the emission from different charge states is observed. An analysis of the time resolved L-shell spectrum of Xe is presented along with spectral modeling by detailed radiation transport and atomic physics from the SCRAM code and comparison with predictions from HYDRA a radiation-hydrodynamics code with inline atomic-physics from CRETIN. This work was performed under the auspices of the U.S. Department of Energy by LLNL under Contract DE-AC52-07NA27344.

Initial speed of knots in the plasma tail of C/2013 R1(Lovejoy)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Yagi, Masafumi; Furusho, Reiko; Terai, Tsuyoshi

We report short-time variations in the plasma tail of C/2013 R1(Lovejoy). A series of short (2–3 minutes) exposure images with the 8.2 m Subaru telescope shows faint details of filaments and their motions over a 24 minute observing duration. We identified rapid movements of two knots in the plasma tail near the nucleus (∼3×10{sup 5} km). Their speeds are 20 and 25 km s{sup −1} along the tail and 3.8 and 2.2 km s{sup −1} across it, respectively. These measurements set a constraint on an acceleration model of plasma tail and knots as they set the initial speed just aftermore » their formation. We also found a rapid narrowing of the tail. After correcting the motion along the tail, the narrowing speed is estimated to be ∼8 km s{sup −1}. These rapid motions suggest the need for high time-resolution studies of comet plasma tails with a large telescope.« less

Production of field-reversed mirror plasma with a coaxial plasma gun

DOEpatents

Hartman, Charles W.; Shearer, James W.

1982-01-01

The use of a coaxial plasma gun to produce a plasma ring which is directed into a magnetic field so as to form a field-reversed plasma confined in a magnetic mirror. Plasma thus produced may be used as a target for subsequent neutral beam injection or other similarly produced and projected plasma rings or for direct fusion energy release in a pulsed mode.

Production of field-reversed mirror plasma with a coaxial plasma gun

DOEpatents

Hartman, C.W.; Shearer, J.W.

The use of a coaxial plasma gun to produce a plasma ring which is directed into a magnetic field so as to form a field-reversed plasma confined in a magnetic mirror. Plasma thus produced may be used as a target for subsequent neutral beam injection or other similarly produced and projected plasma rings or for direct fusion energy release in a pulsed mode.

Demonstration of Ion Kinetic Effects in Inertial Confinement Fusion Implosions and Investigation of Magnetic Reconnection Using Laser-Produced Plasmas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rosenberg, M. J.

2016-10-01

Shock-driven laser inertial confinement fusion (ICF) implosions have demonstrated the presence of ion kinetic effects in ICF implosions and also have been used as a proton source to probe the strongly driven reconnection of MG magnetic fields in laser-generated plasmas. Ion kinetic effects arise during the shock-convergence phase of ICF implosions when the mean free path for ion-ion collisions (λii) approaches the size of the hot-fuel region (Rfuel) and may impact hot-spot formation and the possibility of ignition. To isolate and study ion kinetic effects, the ratio of N - K =λii /Rfuel was varied in D3He-filled, shock-driven implosions at the Omega Laser Facility and the National Ignition Facility, from hydrodynamic-like conditions (NK 0.01) to strongly kinetic conditions (NK 10). A strong trend of decreasing fusion yields relative to the predictions of hydrodynamic models is observed as NK increases from 0.1 to 10. Hydrodynamics simulations that include basic models of the kinetic effects that are likely to be present in these experiments-namely, ion diffusion and Knudsen-layer reduction of the fusion reactivity-are better able to capture the experimental results. This type of implosion has also been used as a source of monoenergetic 15-MeV protons to image magnetic fields driven to reconnect in laser-produced plasmas at conditions similar to those encountered at the Earth's magnetopause. These experiments demonstrate that for both symmetric and asymmetric magnetic-reconnection configurations, when plasma flows are much stronger than the nominal Alfvén speed, the rate of magnetic-flux annihilation is determined by the flow velocity and is largely insensitive to initial plasma conditions. This work was supported by the Department of Energy Grant Number DENA0001857.

2D model of plasma current sheath propagation in a Mather type plasma focus device

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mohamad, Saiful Najmee; Rashid, Natashah Abdul; Halim, Mohd Mahadi; Ali, Jalil

2018-06-01

Plasma focus device is initially developed by two known researchers back in the 1960s, Mather and Filippov. The interest on the research built due to its capability to produce high energetic neutron from a fusion reaction. The relevance of the research in Plasma Focus device remain after decade is because of its competence to produce multi radiation yield and its known physics during nanosecond of plasma compression remain open for discussed. In the recent years, the direction of the plasma research is in device optimisation, where many possible configurations have been present, discuss and highlighting its performance for differences conditions. The significant difference between the electrode configuration is the profile of the dynamics inductance. In this context, this paper comparatively discusses the 1D dynamics model of the plasma current sheath (PSC) propagation axially and radially with the 2D model. The 2D model algorithm for the PSC propagation is developed using macro (Excel) by incorporating a drag force to solve the momentum exchange of the PCS with neutral gas. The discharge current profile of both model successfully calibrated to agree with each other with 2% difference at 1.83 µs after discharge but with an expense of different assumption.

Characterization of >100 T magnetic fields associated with relativistic Weibel instability in laser-produced plasmas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mishra, Rohini; Ruyer, Charles; Goede, Sebastian; Roedel, Christian; Gauthier, Maxence; Zeil, Karl; Schramm, Ulrich; Glenzer, Siegfried; Fiuza, Frederico

2016-10-01

Weibel-type instabilities can occur in weakly magnetized and anisotropic plasmas of relevance to a wide range of astrophysical and laboratory scenarios. It leads to the conversion of a significant fraction of the kinetic energy of the plasma into magnetic energy. We will present a detailed numerical study, using 2D and 3D PIC simulations of the Weibel instability in relativistic laser-solid interactions. In this case, the instability develops due to the counter-streaming of laser-heated electrons and the background return current. We show that the growth rate of the instability is maximized near the critical density region on the rear side of the expanded plasma, producing up to 400 MG magnetic fields for Hydrogen plasmas. We have found that this strong field can be directly probed by energetic protons accelerated in rear side of the plasma by Target Normal Sheath Acceleration (TNSA). This allows the experimental characterization of the instability from the analysis of the spatial modulation of the detected protons. Our numerical results are compared with recent laser experiments with Hydrogen jets and show good agreement with the proton modulations observed experimentally. This work was supported by the DOE Office of Science, Fusion Energy Science (FWP 100182).

Cold atmospheric-pressure air plasma treatment of C6 glioma cells: effects of reactive oxygen species in the medium produced by the plasma on cell death

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Yuyang; Cheng, Cheng; Gao, Peng; Li, Shaopeng; Shen, Jie; Lan, Yan; Yu, Yongqiang; Chu, Paul K.

2017-02-01

An atmospheric-pressure air plasma is employed to treat C6 glioma cells in vitro. To elucidate on the mechanism causing cell death and role of reactive species (RS) in the medium produced by the plasma, the concentration of the long-lived RS such as hydrogen peroxide, nitrate, and ozone in the plasma-treated liquid (phosphate-buffered saline solution) is measured. When vitamin C is added to the medium as a ROS quencher, the viability of C6 glioma cells after the plasma treatment is different from that without vitamin C. The results demonstrate that reactive oxygen species (ROS) such as H2O2, and O3 constitute the main factors for inactivation of C6 glioma cells and the reactive nitrogen species (RNS) may only play an auxiliary role in cell death.

Modification of semiconductor materials with the use of plasma produced by low intensity repetitive laser pulses

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wolowski, J.; Rosinski, M.; Badziak, J.

2008-03-19

This work reports experiments concerning specific application of laser-produced plasma at IPPLM in Warsaw. A repetitive pulse laser system of parameters: energy up to 0.8 J in a 3.5 ns-pulse, wavelength of 1.06 {mu}m, repetition rate of up to 10 Hz, has been employed in these investigations. The characterisation of laser-produced plasma was performed with the use of 'time-of-flight' ion diagnostics simultaneously with other diagnostic methods. The results of laser-matter interaction were obtained in dependence on laser pulse parameters, illumination geometry and target material. The modified SiO{sub 2} layers and sample surface properties were characterised with the use of differentmore » methods at the Middle-East Technological University in Ankara and at the Warsaw University of technology. The production of the Ge nanocrystallites has been demonstrated for annealed samples prepared in different experimental conditions.« less

Kinetics of ion and prompt electron emission from laser-produced plasma

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Farid, N.; Key Laboratory of Materials Modification by Laser, Ion and Electron Beams, School of Physics and Optical Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian; Harilal, S. S.

2013-07-15

We investigated ion emission dynamics of laser-produced plasma from several elements, comprised of metals and non-metals (C, Al, Si, Cu, Mo, Ta, W), under vacuum conditions using a Faraday cup. The estimated ion flux for various targets studied showed a decreasing tendency with increasing atomic mass. For metals, the ion flux is found to be a function of sublimation energy. A comparison of temporal ion profiles of various materials showed only high-Z elements exhibited multiple structures in the ion time of flight profile indicated by the observation of higher peak kinetic energies, which were absent for low-Z element targets. Themore » slower ions were seen regardless of the atomic number of target material propagated with a kinetic energy of 1–5 keV, while the fast ions observed in high-Z materials possessed significantly higher energies. A systematic study of plasma properties employing fast photography, time, and space resolved optical emission spectroscopy, and electron analysis showed that there existed different mechanisms for generating ions in laser ablation plumes. The origin of high kinetic energy ions is related to prompt electron emission from high-Z targets.« less

A novel crystallization technique of hydroxyapatite utilizing contact reaction of minute droplet with atmospheric plasmas: Effects of the liquid source composition on the produced crystal properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wada, Y.; Kobayashi, T.; Matsumoto, M.; Onoe, K.

2017-10-01

To develop the technique for the control of the crystal composition and properties such as size distribution and morphology utilizing the contact reaction field around the minute droplets in atmospheric pressure plasma, fine spherical particles of hydroxyapatite ((Ca10(PO4)6(OH)2); HAp) were synthesized by a new plasma crystallization method. In this work, to elucidate the effects of the production region and crystal properties of hydroxyapatite for the liquid source composition, Ca2+ concentration and the Ca/P molar ratio in minute droplets were varied. The following results were obtained: (1) fine spherical HAp particles can be produced by the introduction of minute droplets with the initial Ca2+ concentration ((CCa)0) of 0.50 mol/l and the Ca/P molar ratio of 1.67. (2) When the (CCa)0 is set in the range higher than 1.00 mol/l at the constant Ca/P molar ratio of 1.67, fine spherical particles of β-TCP and HAp mixture are crystallized. (3) For the Ca/P molar ratio below 1.67, α-TCP and HAp co-precipitated. (4) The composition of the produced particles depends on both the reactant concentration and Ca/P molar ratio in the HAp source solution. (5) The dependence of the reactant concentration on the average size of the produced HAp particles is large compared with droplet size.

Initial observations of the pioneer venus orbiter solar wind plasma experiment.

PubMed

Wolfe, J; Intriligator, D S; Mihalov, J; Collard, H; McKibbin, D; Whitten, R; Barnes, A

1979-02-23

Initial results of observations of the solar wind interaction with Venus indicate that Venus has a well-defined, strong, standing bow shock wave. Downstream from the shock, an ionosheath is observed in which the compressed and heated postshock plasma evidently interacts directly with the Venus ionosphere. Plasma ion velocity deflections observed within the ionosheath are consistent with flow around the blunt shape of the ionopause. The ionopause boundary is observed and defined by this experiment as the location where the ionosheath ion flow is first excluded. The positions of the bow shock and ionopause are variable and appear to respond to changes in the external solar wind pressure. Near the terminator the bow shock was observed at altitudes of approximately 4600 to approximately 12,000 kilometers. The ionopause altitutde ranged fromn as low as approximately 450 to approximately 1950 kilometers. Within the Venus ionosphere low-energy ions (energy per untit charge < 30 volts) were detected and have been tentatively idtentified as nonflowing ionospheric ions incident from a direction along the spacecraft velocity vector.

Increasing Stabilized Performance Of Amorphous Silicon Based Devices Produced By Highly Hydrogen Diluted Lower Temperature Plasma Deposition.

DOEpatents

Li, Yaun-Min; Bennett, Murray S.; Yang, Liyou

1999-08-24

High quality, stable photovoltaic and electronic amorphous silicon devices which effectively resist light-induced degradation and current-induced degradation, are produced by a special plasma deposition process. Powerful, efficient single and multi-junction solar cells with high open circuit voltages and fill factors and with wider bandgaps, can be economically fabricated by the special plasma deposition process. The preferred process includes relatively low temperature, high pressure, glow discharge of silane in the presence of a high concentration of hydrogen gas.

Increased Stabilized Performance Of Amorphous Silicon Based Devices Produced By Highly Hydrogen Diluted Lower Temperature Plasma Deposition.

DOEpatents

Li, Yaun-Min; Bennett, Murray S.; Yang, Liyou

1997-07-08

High quality, stable photovoltaic and electronic amorphous silicon devices which effectively resist light-induced degradation and current-induced degradation, are produced by a special plasma deposition process. Powerful, efficient single and multi-junction solar cells with high open circuit voltages and fill factors and with wider bandgaps, can be economically fabricated by the special plasma deposition process. The preferred process includes relatively low temperature, high pressure, glow discharge of silane in the presence of a high concentration of hydrogen gas.

Persistence of uranium emission in laser-produced plasmas

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

LaHaye, N. L.; Harilal, S. S., E-mail: hari@purdue.edu; Diwakar, P. K.

2014-04-28

Detection of uranium and other nuclear materials is of the utmost importance for nuclear safeguards and security. Optical emission spectroscopy of laser-ablated U plasmas has been presented as a stand-off, portable analytical method that can yield accurate qualitative and quantitative elemental analysis of a variety of samples. In this study, optimal laser ablation and ambient conditions are explored, as well as the spatio-temporal evolution of the plasma for spectral analysis of excited U species in a glass matrix. Various Ar pressures were explored to investigate the role that plasma collisional effects and confinement have on spectral line emission enhancement andmore » persistence. The plasma-ambient gas interaction was also investigated using spatially resolved spectra and optical time-of-flight measurements. The results indicate that ambient conditions play a very important role in spectral emission intensity as well as the persistence of excited neutral U emission lines, influencing the appropriate spectral acquisition conditions.« less

Influence of the initial parameters of the magnetic field and plasma on the spatial structure of the electric current and electron density in current sheets formed in helium

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ostrovskaya, G. V., E-mail: galya-ostr@mail.ru; Markov, V. S.; Frank, A. G., E-mail: annfrank@fpl.gpi.ru

The influence of the initial parameters of the magnetic field and plasma on the spatial structure of the electric current and electron density in current sheets formed in helium plasma in 2D and 3D magnetic configurations with X-type singular lines is studied by the methods of holographic interferometry and magnetic measurements. Significant differences in the structures of plasma and current sheets formed at close parameters of the initial plasma and similar configurations of the initial magnetic fields are revealed.

Pulmonary involvement in Fabry disease: effect of plasma globotriaosylsphingosine and time to initiation of enzyme replacement therapy.

PubMed

Franzen, Daniel; Haile, Sarah R; Kasper, David C; Mechtler, Thomas P; Flammer, Andreas J; Krayenbühl, Pierre A; Nowak, Albina

2018-01-01

Anderson-Fabry disease (AFD) is an X-linked lysosomal storage disorder caused by mutations of GLA gene leading to reduced α-galactosidase activity and resulting in a progressive accumulation of globotriaosylceramide (Gb3) and its deacylated derivative, globotriaosyl-sphingosine (Lyso-Gb3). Plasma Lyso-Gb3 levels serve as a disease severity and treatment monitoring marker during enzyme replacement therapy (ERT). Adult patients with AFD who had yearly pulmonary function tests between 1999 and 2015 were eligible for this observational study. Primary outcome measures were the change in z-score of forced expiratory volume in the first second (FEV 1 ) and FEV 1 /FVC over time. Plasma Lyso-Gb3 levels and the age of ERT initiation were investigated for their association with lung function decline. Fifty-three patients (42% male, median (range) age at diagnosis of AFD 34 (6-61) years in men, 34 (13-67) in women) were included. The greatest decrease of FEV 1 /FVC z-scores was observed in Classic men (-0.048 per year, 95% CI -0.081 to -0.014), compared with the Later-Onset men (+0.013,95% CI -0.055 to 0.082), Classic women (-0.008, 95% CI -0.035 to +0.020) and Later-Onset women (-0.013, 95% CI -0.084 to +0.058). Cigarette smoking (P=0.022) and late ERT initiation (P=0.041) were independently associated with faster FEV 1 decline. FEV 1 /FVC z-score decrease was significantly reduced after initiation of ERT initiation (-0.045 compared with -0.015, P=0.014). Furthermore, there was a trend towards a relevant influence of Lyso-Gb3 (P=0.098) on airflow limitation with age. Early ERT initiation seems to preserve pulmonary function. Plasma Lyso-Gb3 is maybe a useful predictor for airflow limitation. Classic men need a closer monitoring of the lung function.

The Influence of spot size on the expansion dynamics of nanosecond-laser-produced copper plasmas in atmosphere

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Li, Xingwen; Wei, Wenfu; Wu, Jian

2013-06-28

Laser produced copper plasmas of different spot sizes in air were investigated using fast photography and optical emission spectroscopy (OES). The laser energy was 33 mJ. There were dramatic changes in the plasma plume expansion into the ambient air when spot sizes changed from {approx}0.1 mm to {approx}0.6 mm. A stream-like structure and a hemispherical structure were, respectively, observed. It appeared that the same spot size resulted in similar expansion dynamics no matter whether the target was located in the front of or behind the focal point, although laser-induced air breakdown sometimes occurred in the latter case. Plasma plume frontmore » positions agree well with the classic blast wave model for the large spot-size cases, while an unexpected stagnation of {approx}80 ns occurred after the laser pulse ends for the small spot size cases. This stagnation can be understood in terms of the evolution of enhanced plasma shielding effects near the plasma front. Axial distributions of plasma components by OES revealed a good confinement effect. Electron number densities were estimated and interpreted using the recorded Intensified Charge Coupled Device (ICCD) images.« less

Characteristics of laser produced plasmas of hafnium and tantalum in the 1-7 nm region

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Bowen; Otsuka, Takamitsu; Sokell, Emma; Dunne, Padraig; O'Sullivan, Gerry; Hara, Hiroyuki; Arai, Goki; Tamura, Toshiki; Ono, Yuichi; Dinh, Thanh-Hung; Higashiguchi, Takeshi

2017-11-01

Soft X-ray (SXR) spectra from hafnium and tantalum laser produced plasmas were recorded in the 1-7 nm region using two Nd:YAG lasers with pulse lengths of 170 ps and 10 ns, respectively, operating at a range of power densities. The maximum focused peak power density was 2. 3 × 1014 W cm-2 for 170 ps pulses and 1. 8 × 1012 W cm-2 for 10 ns pulses, respectively. Two intense quasicontinuous intensity bands resulting from n = 4 - n = 4 and n = 4 - n = 5 unresolved transition arrays (UTAs) dominate both sets of experimental spectra. Comparison with calculations performed with the Cowan suite of atomic structure codes as well as consideration of previous experimental and theoretical results aided identification of the most prominent features in the spectra. For the 10 ns spectrum, the highest ion stage that could be identified from the n = 4 - n = 5 arrays were lower than silver-like Hf25+ and Ta26+ (which has a 4 d 104 f ground configuration) indicating that the plasma temperature attained was too low to produce ions with an outermost 4 d subshell, while for the 170 ps plasmas the presence of significantly higher stages was deduced and lines due to 4 d-5 p transitions were clearly evident. Furthermore, we show an enhancement of emission from tantalum using dual laser irradiation, and the effect of pre-pulse durations and delay times between two pulses are demonstrated.

Dusty Plasma Experimental (DPEx) device for complex plasma experiments with flow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jaiswal, S.; Bandyopadhyay, P.; Sen, A.

2015-11-01

A versatile table-top dusty plasma experimental device to study flow induced excitations of linear and nonlinear waves/structures in a complex plasma is presented. In this Π-shaped apparatus, a DC glow discharge plasma is produced between a disc shaped anode and a grounded long cathode tray by applying a high voltage DC in the background of a neutral gas (argon) and subsequently a dusty plasma is created by introducing micron sized dust particles that get charged and levitated in the sheath region. A flow of the dust particles is induced in a controlled manner by adjusting the pumping speed and the gas flow rate into the device. A full characterisation of the plasma, using Langmuir and emissive probe data, and that of the dusty plasma using particle tracking data with the help of an idl based (super) Particle Identification and Tracking (sPIT) code is reported. Experimental results on the variation of the dust flow velocity as a function of the neutral pressure and the gas flow rate are given. The neutral drag force acting on the particles and the Epstein coefficient are estimated from the initial acceleration of the particles. The potential experimental capabilities of the device for conducting fundamental studies of flow induced instabilities are discussed.

The application of selected radionuclides for monitoring of the D-D reactions produced by dense plasma-focus device.

PubMed

Jednorog, S; Szydlowski, A; Bienkowska, B; Prokopowicz, R

The dense plasma focus (DPF) device-DPF-1000U which is operated at the Institute of Plasma Physics and Laser Microfusion is the largest that type plasma experiment in the world. The plasma that is formed in large plasma experiments is characterized by vast numbers of parameters. All of them need to be monitored. A neutron activation method occupies a high position among others plasma diagnostic methods. The above method is off-line, remote, and an integrated one. The plasma which has enough temperature to bring about nuclear fusion reactions is always a strong source of neutrons that leave the reactions area and take along energy and important information on plasma parameters and properties as well. Silver as activated material is used as an effective way of neutrons measurement, especially when they are emitted in the form of short pulses like as it happens from the plasma produced in Dense Plasma-Focus devices. Other elements such as beryllium and yttrium are newly introduced and currently tested at the Institute of Plasma Physics and Laser Microfusion to use them in suitable activation neutron detectors. Some specially designed massive indium samples have been recently adopted for angular neutrons distribution measurements (vertical and horizontal) and have been used in the recent plasma experiment conducted on the DPF-1000U device. This choice was substantiated by relatively long half-lives of the neutron induced isotopes and the threshold character of the 115 In(n,n') 115m In nuclear reaction.

Double core-hole emissivity of transient aluminum plasmas produced in the interaction with ultra-intense x-ray laser pulse

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gao, Cheng; Zeng, Jiaolong; Yuan, Jianmin

2015-11-01

Emissivity of single core-hole (SCH) and double core-hole (DCH) states of aluminum plasmas produced in the interaction with ultra-intense x-ray laser pulse interaction are investigated systematically by solving the time-dependent rate equation implemented in the detailed level accounting approximation. We first demonstrated the plasma density effects on level populations and charge state distribution. Compared with recent experiments, it is shown that the plasma density effects play important roles in the evolution dynamics. Then we systematically investigated the emissivity of the transient aluminum plasmas produced by the x-ray laser pulses with a few photon energies above the threshold photon energy to create DCH states. For the laser photon energy where there are resonant absorptions (RA), 1s-np transitions with both full 1s and SCH 1s states play important roles in time evolution of the population and DCH emission spectroscopy. The significant RA effects are illustrated in detail for x-ray pulses, which creates the 1s-2p resonant absorption from the SCH states of Al VII. With the increase of the photon energy, the emissions from lower charge states become larger.

Pump-probe imaging of nanosecond laser-induced bubbles in distilled water solutions: Observations of laser-produced-plasma

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Evans, R.; Camacho-Lopez, S.

2010-11-15

This article presents the analysis of the laser-produced-plasma (LPP) formed by the focusing of a 9 ns laser pulse, {lambda}=532 nm, with a NA=0.6 aspherical lens using energies between 100-1500 {mu}J, into distilled water with varying solutions of table salt. Observations of the filamentation plasma were made, which are explained by self-focusing of the laser pulse by the LPP through ponderomotive cavitation of the electron plasma in the center of the beam. The filamentation of the beam through a low density plasma wave guide explains why the transmission of the pump laser through the interaction region was notably higher onmore » previous experiments that we performed [R. Evans et al., Opt. Express 16, 7481 (2008)], than a very similar set of experiments performed by Noack and Vogel [IEEE J. Quantum Electron. 35, 1156 (1999)].« less

Low energy, high power hydrogen neutral beam for plasma heating

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Deichuli, P.; Davydenko, V.; Ivanov, A., E-mail: ivanov@inp.nsk.su

A high power, relatively low energy neutral beam injector was developed to upgrade of the neutral beam system of the gas dynamic trap device and C2-U experiment. The ion source of the injector produces a proton beam with the particle energy of 15 keV, current of up to 175 A, and pulse duration of a few milliseconds. The plasma emitter of the ion source is produced by superimposing highly ionized plasma jets from an array of four arc-discharge plasma generators. A multipole magnetic field produced with permanent magnets at the periphery of the plasma box is used to increase themore » efficiency and improve the uniformity of the plasma emitter. Multi-slit grids with 48% transparency are fabricated from bronze plates, which are spherically shaped to provide geometrical beam focusing. The focal length of the Ion Optical System (IOS) is 3.5 m and the initial beam diameter is 34 cm. The IOS geometry and grid potentials were optimized numerically to ensure accurate beam formation. The measured angular divergences of the beam are ±0.01 rad parallel to the slits and ±0.03 rad in the transverse direction.« less

Plasma observations near Jupiter - Initial results from Voyager 2

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bridge, H. S.; Belcher, J. W.; Lazarus, A. J.; Sullivan, J. D.; Bagenal, F.; Mcnutt, R. L., Jr.; Ogilvie, K. W.; Scudder, J. D.; Sittler, E. D.; Vasyliunas, V. M.

1979-01-01

A preliminary report is presented of the results obtained by the Voyager 2 plasma experiment during the encounter of Voyager 2 with Jupiter from about 100 Jupiter radii before periapsis to about 300 Jupiter radii after periapsis, the instrument being identical to that on Voyager 1. The discussion covers the following: (1) the crossings of the bow shock and magnetopause observed on the inbound and outbound passes; (2) the radial variation of plasma properties in the magnetosphere; (3) variations in plasma properties near Ganymede; (4) corotation and composition of the plasma in the dayside magnetosphere; and (5) plasma sheet crossings observed on the inbound and outbound passes. From the planetary spin modulation of the plasma-electron intensity it is inferred that the plasma sheet is centered at the dipole magnetic equator out to a distance of 40-50 Jupiter radii and deviates from it toward the rotational equator at larger distances.

Study of Cryogenic Complex Plasma

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-10-27

nitrogen or liquid helium) and dust particles are introduced in the plasma. In YD-2, a cryogenic plasma is produced in the vapor of liquid helium above the...cryogenic liquid ( liquid nitrogen or liquid helium) and dust particles are introduced in the plasma. In YD-2, a cryogenic plasma is produced in the vapor...cryogenic liquid ( liquid nitrogen or liquid helium) in the Dewar bottle produces a stable plasma. We have been successful in producing a plasma (1

Nonthermal Biological Treatments Using Discharge Plasma Produced by Pulsed Power 4. Cleaning of Lakes and Marshes by Pulsed Power Produced Streamer Discharges in Water

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Akiyama, Hidenori; Katsuki, Sunao; Namihira, Takao; Ishibashi, Kazuo; Kiyosaki, Noriaki

Pulsed power has been used to produce non-thermal plasmas in atmospheric pressure gases that generate a high electric field at the tips of streamer discharges, where high energy electrons, free radicals, ultraviolet rays, and ozone are produced. These manifestations of streamer discharges have been used in the treatment of exhaust gases, removal of volatile and toxic compounds such as dioxin, and the sterilization of microorganisms. Here, large volume streamer discharges in water are described. These streamer discharges in liquids are able to produce a high electric field, high energy electrons, ozone, chemically active species, ultraviolet rays, and shock waves, which readily sterilize microorganisms and decompose molecules and materials. An application of this phenomenon to the cleaning of lakes and marshes is also described.

Study of Nanodispersed Iron Oxides Produced in Steel Drilling by Contracted Electric-Arc Air Plasma Torch

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stefanov, P.; Galanov, D.; Vissokov, G.; Paneva, D.; Kunev, B.; Mitov, I.

2008-06-01

The optimal conditions on the plasma-forming gas flowrate, discharge current and voltage, distance between the plasma-torch nozzle and the metal plate surface for the process of penetration in and vaporization of steel plates by the contracted electric-arc air plasma torch accompanied by water quenching, were determined. The X-ray structural and phase studies as well as Mössbauer and electron microscope studies on the samples treated were performed. It was demonstrated that the vaporized elemental iron was oxidized by the oxygen present in the air plasma jet to form iron oxides (wüstite, magnetite, hematite), which, depending on their mass ratios, determined the color of the iron oxide pigments, namely, beginning from light yellow, through deep yellow, light brown, deep brown, violet, red-violet, to black. A high degree of dispersity of the iron oxides is thus produced, with an averaged diameter of the particles below 500 nm, and their defective crystal structure form the basis of their potential application as components of iron-containing catalysts and pigments.

Laboratory-Produced X-Ray Photoionized Plasmas for Astrophysics Exploration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goyon, Clement; Le Pape, Sebastien; Liedahl, Duane; Ma, Tammy; Berzak-Hopkins, Laura; Reverdin, Charles; Rousseaux, Christophe; Renaudin, Patrick; Blancard, Christophe; Nottet, Edouard; Bidault, Niels; Mancini, Roberto; Koenig, Michel

2015-11-01

X-ray photoionized plasmas are rare in the laboratory, but of broad importance in astrophysical objects such as active galactic nuclei, x-ray binaries. Indeed, existing models are not yet able to accurately describe these plasmas where ionization is driven by radiation rather than electron collisions. Here, we describe an experiment on the LULI2000 facility whose versatility allows for measuring the X-ray absorption of the plasma while independently probing its electron density and temperature. The bright X-ray source is created by the two main beams focused inside a gold hohlraum and is used to photoionise a Neon gas jet. Then, a thin gold foil serves as a source of backlit photons for absorption spectroscopy. The transmitted spectrum through the plasma is collected by a crystal spectrometer. We will present the experimental setup used to characterize both plasma conditions and X-ray emission. Then we will show the transmitted spectra through the plasma to observe the transition from collision dominated to radiation dominated ionization and compare it to model predictions. This work was performed under the auspices of the U.S.Department of Energy by Lawrence Livermore Natl Lab under Contract No. DE-AC52-07NA27344.

Filter media properties of mineral fibres produced by plasma spray.

PubMed

Prasauskas, Tadas; Matulevicius, Jonas; Kliucininkas, Linas; Krugly, Edvinas; Valincius, Vitas; Martuzevicius, Dainius

2016-01-01

The purpose of this study was to determine the properties of fibrous gas filtration media produced from mineral zeolite. Fibres were generated by direct current plasma spray. The paper characterizes morphology, chemical composition, geometrical structure of elementary fibres, and thermal resistance, as well as the filtration properties of fibre media. The diameter of the produced elementary fibres ranged from 0.17 to 0.90 μm and the length ranged from 0.025 to 5.1 mm. The release of fibres from the media in the air stream was noticed, but it was minimized by hot-pressing the formed fibre mats. The fibres kept their properties up to the temperature of 956°C, while further increase in temperature resulted in the filter media becoming shrunk and brittle. The filtration efficiency of the prepared filter mats ranged from 95.34% to 99.99% for aerosol particles ranging in a size between 0.03 and 10.0 μm. Unprocessed fibre media showed the highest filtration efficiency when filtering aerosol particles smaller than 0.1 µm. Hot-pressed filters were characterized by the highest quality factor values, ranging from 0.021 to 0.064 Pa(-1) (average value 0.034 Pa(-1)).

Experimental characterization of a transition from collisionless to collisional interaction between head-on-merging supersonic plasma jets a)

DOE PAGES

Moser, Auna L.; Hsu, Scott C.

2015-05-01

We present results from experiments on the head-on merging of two supersonic plasma jets in an initially collisionless regime for the counter-streaming ions [A. L. Moser & S. C. Hsu, Phys. Plasmas, submitted (2014)]. The plasma jets are of either an argon/impurity or hydrogen/impurity mixture and are produced by pulsed-power-driven railguns. Based on time- and space-resolved fast-imaging, multi-chord interferometry, and survey-spectroscopy measurements of the overlapping region between the merging jets, we observe that the jets initially interpenetrate, consistent with calculated inter-jet ion collision lengths, which are long. As the jets interpenetrate, a rising mean-charge state causes a rapid decrease inmore » the inter-jet ion collision length. Finally, the interaction becomes collisional and the jets stagnate, eventually producing structures consistent with collisional shocks. These experimental observations can aid in the validation of plasma collisionality and ionization models for plasmas with complex equations of state.« less

Experimental characterization of a transition from collisionless to collisional interaction between head-on-merging supersonic plasma jets a)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Moser, Auna L.; Hsu, Scott C.

We present results from experiments on the head-on merging of two supersonic plasma jets in an initially collisionless regime for the counter-streaming ions [A. L. Moser & S. C. Hsu, Phys. Plasmas, submitted (2014)]. The plasma jets are of either an argon/impurity or hydrogen/impurity mixture and are produced by pulsed-power-driven railguns. Based on time- and space-resolved fast-imaging, multi-chord interferometry, and survey-spectroscopy measurements of the overlapping region between the merging jets, we observe that the jets initially interpenetrate, consistent with calculated inter-jet ion collision lengths, which are long. As the jets interpenetrate, a rising mean-charge state causes a rapid decrease inmore » the inter-jet ion collision length. Finally, the interaction becomes collisional and the jets stagnate, eventually producing structures consistent with collisional shocks. These experimental observations can aid in the validation of plasma collisionality and ionization models for plasmas with complex equations of state.« less

Sharpening of the 6.8 nm peak in an Nd:YAG laser produced Gd plasma by using a pre-formed plasma

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Tian, Yong; Song, Xiaolin; Xie, Zhuo

For effective use of a laser-produced-plasma (LPP) light source, an LPP is desired to emit a narrow spectral peak because the reflection spectrum of multilayer mirrors for guiding emission from the source is very narrow. While a Gd plasma has been studied extensively as an extreme ultraviolet (EUV) light source at around 6.8 nm, where La/B{sub 4}C multilayer is reported to have a high reflectivity with a bandwidth of about 0.6 %, all previous works using an Nd:YAG laser reported very broad spectra. This paper reports the first narrowing of the 6.8 nm peak in the case of using anmore » Nd:YAG laser to generate a Gd plasma by using a pre-pulse. The best peak narrowing is observed when a pre-formed plasma is heated by a 1064 nm main laser pulse with a duration of 10 ns at the irradiation density of 4x 10{sup 11} W/cm{sup 2} at a delay time of 50 ns after the pre-pulse irradiation. The observed spectral width of about 0.3 nm is about one fifth of the value for no pre-formed plasma. The peak wavelength of the 6.8 nm band shifted to a longer wavelength side and the peak was broadened both for lower and higher laser irradiation density. It is discussed that this robustness of the peak position of the 6.8 nm Gd peak against temperature change is suitable to achieve a narrow bandwidth from an LPP generated on solid. The observed spectra are compared with those previously reported in various conditions.« less

Experimental characterization of a transition from collisionless to collisional interaction between head-on-merging supersonic plasma jets

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Moser, Auna L., E-mail: mosera@fusion.gat.com; Hsu, Scott C., E-mail: scotthsu@lanl.gov

We present results from experiments on the head-on merging of two supersonic plasma jets in an initially collisionless regime for the counter-streaming ions. The plasma jets are of either an argon/impurity or hydrogen/impurity mixture and are produced by pulsed-power-driven railguns. Based on time- and space-resolved fast-imaging, multi-chord interferometry, and survey-spectroscopy measurements of the overlapping region between the merging jets, we observe that the jets initially interpenetrate, consistent with calculated inter-jet ion collision lengths, which are long. As the jets interpenetrate, a rising mean-charge state causes a rapid decrease in the inter-jet ion collision length. Finally, the interaction becomes collisional andmore » the jets stagnate, eventually producing structures consistent with collisional shocks. These experimental observations can aid in the validation of plasma collisionality and ionization models for plasmas with complex equations of state.« less

A hemispherical Langmuir probe array detector for angular resolved measurements on droplet-based laser-produced plasmas

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gambino, Nadia, E-mail: gambinon@ethz.ch; Brandstätter, Markus; Rollinger, Bob

2014-09-15

In this work, a new diagnostic tool for laser-produced plasmas (LPPs) is presented. The detector is based on a multiple array of six motorized Langmuir probes. It allows to measure the dynamics of a LPP in terms of charged particles detection with particular attention to droplet-based LPP sources for EUV lithography. The system design permits to temporally resolve the angular and radial plasma charge distribution and to obtain a hemispherical mapping of the ions and electrons around the droplet plasma. The understanding of these dynamics is fundamental to improve the debris mitigation techniques for droplet-based LPP sources. The device hasmore » been developed, built, and employed at the Laboratory for Energy Conversion, ETH Zürich. The experimental results have been obtained on the droplet-based LPP source ALPS II. For the first time, 2D mappings of the ion kinetic energy distribution around the droplet plasma have been obtained with an array of multiple Langmuir probes. These measurements show an anisotropic expansion of the ions in terms of kinetic energy and amount of ion charge around the droplet target. First estimations of the plasma density and electron temperature were also obtained from the analysis of the probe current signals.« less

Inverse mirror plasma experimental device (IMPED) - a magnetized linear plasma device for wave studies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bose, Sayak; Chattopadhyay, P. K.; Ghosh, J.; Sengupta, S.; Saxena, Y. C.; Pal, R.

2015-04-01

In a quasineutral plasma, electrons undergo collective oscillations, known as plasma oscillations, when perturbed locally. The oscillations propagate due to finite temperature effects. However, the wave can lose the phase coherence between constituting oscillators in an inhomogeneous plasma (phase mixing) because of the dependence of plasma oscillation frequency on plasma density. The longitudinal electric field associated with the wave may be used to accelerate electrons to high energies by exciting large amplitude wave. However when the maximum amplitude of the wave is reached that plasma can sustain, the wave breaks. The phenomena of wave breaking and phase mixing have applications in plasma heating and particle acceleration. For detailed experimental investigation of these phenomena a new device, inverse mirror plasma experimental device (IMPED), has been designed and fabricated. The detailed considerations taken before designing the device, so that different aspects of these phenomena can be studied in a controlled manner, are described. Specifications of different components of the IMPED machine and their flexibility aspects in upgrading, if necessary, are discussed. Initial results meeting the prerequisite condition of the plasma for such study, such as a quiescent, collisionless and uniform plasma, are presented. The machine produces δnnoise/n <= 1%, Luniform ~ 120 cm at argon filling pressure of ~10-4 mbar and axial magnetic field of B = 1090 G.

Influence of micro- and macro-processes on the high-order harmonic generation in laser-produced plasma

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ganeev, R. A., E-mail: rashid-ganeev@mail.ru; Physical Department, Voronezh State University, Voronezh 394006

We compare the resonance-induced enhancement of single harmonic and the quasi-phase-matching-induced enhancement of the group of harmonics during propagation of the tunable mid-infrared femtosecond pulses through the perforated laser-produced indium plasma. We show that the enhancement of harmonics using the macro-process of quasi-phase-matching is comparable with the one using micro-process of resonantly enhanced harmonic. These studies show that joint implementation of the two methods of the increase of harmonic yield could be a useful tool for generation of strong short-wavelength radiation in different spectral regions. We compare these effects in indium, as well as in other plasmas.

Demonstration of plasma start-up by Coaxial Helicity Injection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Raman, Roger

2003-10-01

Experimental results on the first successful transfer of a Coaxial-Helicity-Injection- (CHI)-produced discharge to inductive operation are reported. CHI assisted plasma start-up is more robust than inductive-only operation and reduces volt-seconds consumption. After hand-off for inductive operation, the initial 100 kA of CHI-produced current drops to 44 kA, then ramps up to 180 kA, using only 30 mVs, more than 30induction alone. Coupling a CHI-produced discharge to induction from a pre-charged central solenoid has produced record plasma currents of 265kA in HIT-II. CHI discharges can also be generated while the central transformer is in the process of being pre-charged, during which period it induces a negative loop voltage on the CHI discharge. Such capability is believed to be important for a short pulse burning plasma experiment that could contain a solenoid. In the latest results, which improve upon the earlier work (Raman et. al., Phys. Rev. Lett., 90, (2003) 075005-1), no transient coil currents are necessary for the CHI produced closed flux generation. This is particularly important for a reactor in which the poloidal field coils would be located outside blanket structures. Three important results are reported. First, CHI is shown to produce closed flux plasma. Second, it is shown that electrode-based CHI plasmas can be sufficiently clean for fusion research purposes. Finally, it is shown that CHI discharges, in addition to generating useful startup current, improve the performance of inductive discharges. This work was motivated by earlier experiments on HIT-II and NSTX that showed coupling of the inductive drive to the external CHI power supply circuit, instead of to the main plasma discharge. These important results were obtained on the HIT-II spherical torus experiment (R/a of 0.3/0.2m, elongation of 1.5).

Rabi oscillations produced by adiabatic pulse due to initial atomic coherence.

PubMed

Svidzinsky, Anatoly A; Eleuch, Hichem; Scully, Marlan O

2017-01-01

If an electromagnetic pulse is detuned from atomic transition frequency by amount Δ>1/τ, where τ is the turn-on time of the pulse, then atomic population adiabatically follows the pulse intensity without causing Rabi oscillations. Here we show that, if initially, the atom has nonzero coherence, then the adiabatic pulse yields Rabi oscillations of atomic population ρ_aa(t), and we obtain analytical solutions for ρ_aa(t). Our findings can be useful for achieving generation of coherent light in the backward direction in the QASER scheme in which modulation of the coupling between light and atoms is produced by Rabi oscillations. Initial coherence can be created by sending a short resonant pulse into the medium followed by a long adiabatic pulse, which leads to the light amplification in the backward direction.

Precision closed bomb calorimeter for testing flame and gas producing initiators

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Carpenter, D. R., Jr.; Taylor, A. C., Jr.

1972-01-01

A calorimeter has been developed under this study to help meet the needs of accurate performance monitoring of electrically or mechanically actuated flame and gas producing devices, such as squib-type initiators. A ten cubic centimeter closed bomb (closed volume) calorimeter was designed to provide a standard pressure trace and to measure a nominal 50 calorie output, using the basic components of a Parr Model 1411 calorimeter. Two prototype bombs were fabricated, pressure tested to 2600 psi, and extensively evaluated.

Plasma characteristics of argon glow discharge produced by AC power supply operating at low frequencies

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kongpiboolkid, Watcharapon; Mongkolnavin, Rattachat; Plasma Technology and Nuclear Fusion Research Unit, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok

2015-04-24

Non-thermal properties of Argon glow discharge operating with various operating pressures were measured and presented in this work. The Argon plasma is produced by a parallel conducting electrodes coupling with a high voltage AC power supply. The power supply can generate high AC voltage at various frequencies. The frequencies for the operation are in the range of a few kHz. The system is capable of generating electric field between the two metal electrodes discharge system. The characteristics of plasma produced were measured by optical emission spectroscopy (OES) technique where electron temperature (T{sub e}) and electron number density (n{sub e}) canmore » be determined by line intensity ratio method. The value of electron number density was then determined from the Saha-Eggert equation. Our results show that the electron number density of the discharge obtained is of the order of 10{sup −17} − 10{sup −18} m{sup −3} where the electron temperature is between 1.00−2.00 eV for various operating frequencies used which are in good agreement with similar results published earlier.« less

Change in surface properties of zirconia and initial attachment of osteoblastlike cells with hydrophilic treatment.

PubMed

Watanabe, Hiroaki; Saito, Kensuke; Kokubun, Katsutoshi; Sasaki, Hodaka; Yoshinari, Masao

2012-01-01

The objectives of this study were to characterize change in surface properties of tetragonal zirconia polycrystals (TZP) after hydrophilic treatment, and to determine the effect of such changes on initial attachment of osteoblast-like cells. Roughened surfaces were produced by alumina-blasting and acid-etching. Hydrophilic treatment comprised application of immediately after blasting and acid-etching (Blast/Etch), oxygen plasma (O2-Plasma), ultraviolet light (UV). Specimens stored in air were used as a control. The water contact angle was determined and surface analysis was performed using an X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Blast/Etch, O2-Plasma and UV specimens showed superhydrophilicity, and these hydrophilic treatments to TZP elicited a marked decrease in carbon content and an increase in hydroxyl groups. Hydrophilic treatments enhanced initial attachment of osteoblast-like cells and a change in cell morphologies. These results indicate that Blast/Etch, O2-Plasma, or UV treatment has potential in the creation and maintenance of superhydrophilic surfaces and enhancing initial attachment of osteoblast-like cells.

Production and study of high-beta plasma confined by a superconducting dipole magneta)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Garnier, D. T.; Hansen, A.; Mauel, M. E.; Ortiz, E.; Boxer, A. C.; Ellsworth, J.; Karim, I.; Kesner, J.; Mahar, S.; Roach, A.

2006-05-01

The Levitated Dipole Experiment (LDX) [J. Kesner et al., in Fusion Energy 1998, 1165 (1999)] is a new research facility that is exploring the confinement and stability of plasma created within the dipole field produced by a strong superconducting magnet. Unlike other configurations in which stability depends on curvature and magnetic shear, magnetohydrodynamic stability of a dipole derives from plasma compressibility. Theoretically, the dipole magnetic geometry can stabilize a centrally peaked plasma pressure that exceeds the local magnetic pressure (β>1), and the absence of magnetic shear allows particle and energy confinement to decouple. In initial experiments, long-pulse, quasi-steady-state microwave discharges lasting more than 10s have been produced that are consistent with equilibria having peak beta values of 20%. Detailed measurements have been made of discharge evolution, plasma dynamics and instability, and the roles of gas fueling, microwave power deposition profiles, and plasma boundary shape. In these initial experiments, the high-field superconducting floating coil was supported by three thin supports. The plasma is created by multifrequency electron cyclotron resonance heating at 2.45 and 6.4GHz, and a population of energetic electrons, with mean energies above 50keV, dominates the plasma pressure. Creation of high-pressure, high-beta plasma is possible only when intense hot electron interchange instabilities are stabilized by sufficiently high background plasma density. A dramatic transition from a low-density, low-beta regime to a more quiescent, high-beta regime is observed when the plasma fueling rate and confinement time become sufficiently large.

Systems and methods for imaging using radiation from laser produced plasmas

DOEpatents

Renard-Le Galloudec, Nathalie; Cowan, Thomas E.; Sentoku, Yasuhiko; Rassuchine, Jennifer

2009-06-30

In particular embodiments, the present disclosure provides systems and methods for imaging a subject using radiation emitted from a laser produced plasma generating by irradiating a target with a laser. In particular examples, the target includes at least one radiation enhancing component, such as a fluor, cap, or wire. In further examples, the target has a metal layer and an internal surface defining an internal apex, the internal apex of less than about 15 .mu.m, such as less than about 1 .mu.m. The targets may take a variety of shapes, including cones, pyramids, and hemispheres. Certain aspects of the present disclosure provide improved imaging of a subject, such as improved medical images of a radiation dose than typical conventional methods and systems.

Fusion plasma theory project summaries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

1993-10-01

This Project Summary book is a published compilation consisting of short descriptions of each project supported by the Fusion Plasma Theory and Computing Group of the Advanced Physics and Technology Division of the Department of Energy, Office of Fusion Energy. The summaries contained in this volume were written by the individual contractors with minimal editing by the Office of Fusion Energy. Previous summaries were published in February of 1982 and December of 1987. The Plasma Theory program is responsible for the development of concepts and models that describe and predict the behavior of a magnetically confined plasma. Emphasis is given to the modelling and understanding of the processes controlling transport of energy and particles in a toroidal plasma and supporting the design of the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER). A tokamak transport initiative was begun in 1989 to improve understanding of how energy and particles are lost from the plasma by mechanisms that transport them across field lines. The Plasma Theory program has actively participated in this initiative. Recently, increased attention has been given to issues of importance to the proposed Tokamak Physics Experiment (TPX). Particular attention has been paid to containment and thermalization of fast alpha particles produced in a burning fusion plasma as well as control of sawteeth, current drive, impurity control, and design of improved auxiliary heating. In addition, general models of plasma behavior are developed from physics features common to different confinement geometries. This work uses both analytical and numerical techniques. The Fusion Theory program supports research projects at U.S. government laboratories, universities and industrial contractors. Its support of theoretical work at universities contributes to the office of Fusion Energy mission of training scientific manpower for the U.S. Fusion Energy Program.

Phase-amplitude imaging: its application to fully automated analysis of magnetic field measurements in laser-produced plasmas.

PubMed

Kalal, M; Nugent, K A; Luther-Davies, B

1987-05-01

An interferometric technique which enables simultaneous phase and amplitude imaging of optically transparent objects is discussed with respect to its application for the measurement of spontaneous toroidal magnetic fields generated in laser-produced plasmas. It is shown that this technique can replace the normal independent pair of optical systems (interferometry and shadowgraphy) by one system and use computer image processing to recover both the plasma density and magnetic field information with high accuracy. A fully automatic algorithm for the numerical analysis of the data has been developed and its performance demonstrated for the case of simulated as well as experimental data.

Phase-amplitude imaging: its application to fully automated analysis of magnetic field measurements in laser-produced plasmas

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kalal, M.; Nugent, K.A.; Luther-Davies, B.

1987-05-01

An interferometric technique which enables simultaneous phase and amplitude imaging of optically transparent objects is discussed with respect to its application for the measurement of spontaneous toroidal magnetic fields generated in laser-produced plasmas. It is shown that this technique can replace the normal independent pair of optical systems (interferometry and shadowgraphy) by one system and use computer image processing to recover both the plasma density and magnetic field information with high accuracy. A fully automatic algorithm for the numerical analysis of the data has been developed and its performance demonstrated for the case of simulated as well as experimental data.

Properties of zirconia after plasma treatment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alekseenko, V. P.; Kulkov, S. N.

2017-09-01

The influence of high-frequency plasma treatment on the properties of zirconia powder is shown in the work. The powder was produced by a plasma-chemical method. The powders had a foamy form with the size of agglomerates of 5-10 μm and crystallites of 20-50 nm. The powders were treated by the pulse plasma unit with dielectric barrier discharge generator. It was shown that the plasma processing changes the acidity of water-powder suspensions from 8.1 to 4.3 pH, which signifies the powders' wettability improvement. It was revealed that more intensive mixing using ultrasound influences the acidity level, reducing it in comparison with mixing by paddle-type agitator. It was shown that these changes of surface properties have relaxation by 4% per day and extrapolation of this dependence shows that the powder will have initial properties after 400 hours storage at room conditions.

Plasma clots gelled by different amounts of calcium for stem cell delivery.

PubMed

Gessmann, Jan; Seybold, Dominik; Peter, Elvira; Schildhauer, Thomas Armin; Köller, Manfred

2013-01-01

Freshly prepared autologous plasma clots may serve as a carrier matrix for expanded multipotent mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) or bone marrow cells. By varying the calcium concentration, plasma clots with different properties can be produced. The purpose of this in vitro study was to determine the optimal calcium concentrations for the clotting process, intra-clot cell viability, and clot lysis. Different plasma clots were prepared by adding an equal volume of RPMI1640 (with or without MSCs) to citrate plasma (either containing platelets or platelet-free). Clotting was initiated by the addition of CaCl(2) (10 g/100 ml H(2)O, 10 % solution). The final concentration of CaCl(2) ranged from 1 to 10 % by volume of plasma. Viability and distribution of the MSCs were analysed by calcein-AM/propidium iodide staining. MSC-embedded plasma clots were dissolved with trypsin (0.25 %), and recovered cells were further incubated for 1 week under cell culture conditions. The viability of MSCs embedded in clots formed by the addition of 1-8 % by volume CaCl2 was not affected by incubation of up to 1 week. In contrast, clots produced by higher volumes of CaCl(2) solutions (9-10 % by volume of plasma) showed decreased numbers of viable cells. Intra-clot cell proliferation was highest in clots produced by addition of 5 % CaCl(2) by plasma volume. Osteocalcin release was not influenced in platelet-free plasma but decreased in platelet-containing plasma. Morphological analysis of stained recovered MSCs revealed that lysis of the plasma clot did not affect cell morphology or subsequent spontaneous proliferation. Clot formation and clot stability can be controlled by changing the concentration of CaCl(2) added to plasma. The addition of 5 % CaCl(2) produced a plasma clot with optimal results for stem cell delivery.

Surface, electrical and mechanical modifications of PMMA after implantation with laser produced iron plasma ions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ahmed, Qazi Salman; Bashir, Shazia; Jalil, Sohail Abdul; Shabbir, Muhammad Kaif; Mahmood, Khaliq; Akram, Mahreen; Khalid, Ayesha; Yaseen, Nazish; Arshad, Atiqa

2016-07-01

Laser Produced Plasma (LPP) was employed as an ion source for the modifications in surface, electrical and mechanical properties of poly methyl (methacrylate) PMMA. For this purpose Nd:YAG laser (532 nm, 6 ns, 10 Hz) at a fluence of 12.7 J/cm2 was employed to generate Fe plasma. The fluence and energy measurements of laser produced Fe plasma ions were carried out by employing Thomson Parabola Technique in the presence of magnetic field strength of 0.5 T, using CR-39 as Solid State Nuclear Track Detector (SSNTD). It has been observed that ion fluence ejecting from ablated plasma was maximum at an angle of 5° with respect to the normal to the Fe target surface. PMMA substrates were irradiated with Fe ions of constant energy of 0.85 MeV at various ion fluences ranging from 3.8 × 106 ions/cm2 to 1.8 × 108 ions/cm2 controlled by varying laser pulses from 3000 to 7000. Optical microscope and Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) were utilized for the analysis of surface features of irradiated PMMA. Results depicted the formation of chain scission, crosslinking, dendrites and star like structures. To explore the electrical behavior, four probe method was employed. The electrical conductivity of ion irradiated PMMA was increased with increasing ion fluence. The surface hardness was measured by shore D hardness tester and results showed the monotonous increment in surface hardness with increasing ion fluence. The increasing trend of surface hardness and electrical conductivity with increasing Fe ion fluence has been well correlated with the surface morphology of ion implanted PMMA. The temperature rise of PMMA surface due to Fe ion irradiation is evaluated analytically and comes out to be in the range of 1.72 × 104 to 1.82 × 104 K. The values of total Linear Energy Transfer (LET) or stopping power of 0.8 MeV Fe ions in PMMA is 61.8 eV/Å and their range is 1.34 μm evaluated by SRIM simulation.

Beam-Plasma Interaction Experiments on the Princeton Advanced Test Stand

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stepanov, A.; Gilson, E. P.; Grisham, L.; Kaganovich, I. D.; Davidson, R. C.

2011-10-01

The Princeton Advanced Test Stand (PATS) is a compact experimental facility for studying the fundamental physics of intense beam-plasma interactions relevant to the Neutralized Drift Compression Experiment - II (NDCX-II). The PATS facility consists of a 100 keV ion beam source mounted on a six-foot-long vacuum chamber with numerous ports for diagnostic access. A 100 keV Ar+ beam is launched into a volumetric plasma, which is produced by a ferroelectric plasma source (FEPS). Beam diagnostics upstream and downstream of the FEPS allow for detailed studies of the effects that the plasma has on the beam. This setup is designed for studying the dependence of charge and current neutralization and beam emittance growth on the beam and plasma parameters. This work reports initial measurements of beam quality produced by the extraction electrodes that were recently installed on the PATS device. The transverse beam phase space is measured with double-slit emittance scanners, and the experimental results are compared to WARP simulations of the extraction system. This research is supported by the U.S. Department of Energy.

Plasma observations near jupiter: initial results from voyager 2.

PubMed

Bridge, H S; Belcher, J W; Lazarus, A J; Sullivan, J D; Bagenal, F; McNutt, R L; Ogilvie, K W; Scudder, J D; Sittler, E C; Vasyliunas, V M; Goertz, C K

1979-11-23

The first of at least nine bow shock crossings observed on the inbound pass of Voyager 2 occurred at 98.8 Jupiter radii (R(J)) with final entry into the magnetosphere at 62 R(J). On both the inbound and outbound passes the plasma showed a tendency to move in the direction of corotation, as was observed on the inbound pass of Voyager 1. Positive ion densities and electron intensities observed by Voyager 2 are comparable within a factor of 2 to those seen by Voyager 1 at the same radial distance from Jupiter; the composition of the magnetospheric plasma is again dominated by heavy ions with a ratio of mass density relative to hydrogen of about 100/1. A series of dropouts of plasma intensity near Ganymede may be related to a complex interaction between Ganymede and the magnetospheric plasma. From the planetary spin modulation of the intensity of plasma electrons it is inferred that the plasma sheet is centered at the dipole magnetic equator out to a distance of 40 to 50 R(J) and deviates from it toward the rotational equator at larger distances. The longitudinal excursion of the plasma sheet lags behind the rotating dipole by a phase angle that increases with increasing radial distance.

Coupled microwave ECR and radio-frequency plasma source for plasma processing

DOEpatents

Tsai, Chin-Chi; Haselton, Halsey H.

1994-01-01

In a dual plasma device, the first plasma is a microwave discharge having its own means of plasma initiation and control. The microwave discharge operates at electron cyclotron resonance (ECR), and generates a uniform plasma over a large area of about 1000 cm.sup.2 at low pressures below 0.1 mtorr. The ECR microwave plasma initiates the second plasma, a radio frequency (RF) plasma maintained between parallel plates. The ECR microwave plasma acts as a source of charged particles, supplying copious amounts of a desired charged excited species in uniform manner to the RF plasma. The parallel plate portion of the apparatus includes a magnetic filter with static magnetic field structure that aids the formation of ECR zones in the two plasma regions, and also assists in the RF plasma also operating at electron cyclotron resonance.

Coupled microwave ECR and radio-frequency plasma source for plasma processing

DOEpatents

Tsai, C.C.; Haselton, H.H.

1994-03-08

In a dual plasma device, the first plasma is a microwave discharge having its own means of plasma initiation and control. The microwave discharge operates at electron cyclotron resonance (ECR), and generates a uniform plasma over a large area of about 1000 cm[sup 2] at low pressures below 0.1 mtorr. The ECR microwave plasma initiates the second plasma, a radio frequency (RF) plasma maintained between parallel plates. The ECR microwave plasma acts as a source of charged particles, supplying copious amounts of a desired charged excited species in uniform manner to the RF plasma. The parallel plate portion of the apparatus includes a magnetic filter with static magnetic field structure that aids the formation of ECR zones in the two plasma regions, and also assists in the RF plasma also operating at electron cyclotron resonance. 4 figures.

Production of geopolymers using glass produced from DC plasma treatment of air pollution control (APC) residues.

PubMed

Kourti, Ioanna; Rani, D Amutha; Deegan, D; Boccaccini, A R; Cheeseman, C R

2010-04-15

Air pollution control (APC) residues are the hazardous waste produced from cleaning gaseous emissions at energy-from-waste (EfW) facilities processing municipal solid waste (MSW). APC residues have been blended with glass-forming additives and treated using DC plasma technology to produce a high calcium alumino-silicate glass. This research has investigated the optimisation and properties of geopolymers prepared from this glass. Work has shown that high strength geopolymers can be formed and that the NaOH concentration of the activating solution significantly affects the properties. The broad particle size distribution of the APC residue glass used in these experiments results in a microstructure that contains unreacted glass particles included within a geopolymer binder phase. The high calcium content of APC residues may cause the formation of some amorphous calcium silicate hydrate (C-S-H) gel. A mix prepared with S/L=3.4, Si/Al=2.6 and [NaOH]=6M in the activating solution, produced high strength geopolymers with compressive strengths of approximately 130 MPa. This material had high density (2070 kg/m(3)) and low porosity. The research demonstrates for the first time that glass derived from DC plasma treatment of APC residues can be used to form high strength geopolymer-glass composites that have potential for use in a range of applications. 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Plasma waves near saturn: initial results from voyager 1.

PubMed

Gurnett, D A; Kurth, W S; Scarf, F L

1981-04-10

The Voyager 1 plasma wave instrument detected many familiar types of plasma waves during the encounter with Saturn, including ion-acoustic waves and electron plasma oscillations upstream of the bow shock, an intense burst of electrostatic noise at the shock, and chorus, hiss, electrostatic electron cyclotron waves, and upper hybrid resonance emissions in the inner magnetosphere. A clocklike Saturn rotational control of low-frequency radio emissions was observed, and evidence was obtained of possible control by the moon Dione. Strong plasma wave emissions were detected at the Titan encounter indicating the presence of a turbulent sheath extending around Titan, and upper hybrid resonance measurements of the electron density show the existence of a dense plume of plasma being carried downstream of Titan by the interaction with the rapidly rotating magnetosphere of Saturn.

Optimization of the neutron yield in fusion plasmas produced by Coulomb explosions of deuterium clusters irradiated by a petawatt laser.

PubMed

Bang, W; Dyer, G; Quevedo, H J; Bernstein, A C; Gaul, E; Donovan, M; Ditmire, T

2013-02-01

The kinetic energy of hot (multi-keV) ions from the laser-driven Coulomb explosion of deuterium clusters and the resulting fusion yield in plasmas formed from these exploding clusters has been investigated under a variety of conditions using the Texas Petawatt laser. An optimum laser intensity was found for producing neutrons in these cluster fusion plasmas with corresponding average ion energies of 14 keV. The substantial volume (1-10 mm(3)) of the laser-cluster interaction produced by the petawatt peak power laser pulse led to a fusion yield of 1.6×10(7) neutrons in a single shot with a 120 J, 170 fs laser pulse. Possible effects of prepulses are discussed.

Pulsed plasma chemical synthesis of SixCyOz composite nanopowder

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kholodnaya, G.; Sazonov, R.; Ponomarev, D.; Remnev, G.

2017-05-01

SixCyOz composite nanopowder with an average size of particles about 10-50 nm was produced using the pulsed plasma chemical method. The experiments on the synthesis of nanosized composite were carried out using a TEA-500 pulsed electron accelerator. To produce a composite, SiCl4, O2, and CH4 were used. The major part of experiments was conducted using a plasma chemical reactor (quartz, 140 mm diameter, 6 l volume). The initial reagents were injected into the reactor, then a pulsed electron beam was injected which initiated the chemical reactions whose products were the SixCyOz composite nanopowder. To define the morphology of the particles, the JEOL-II-100 transmission electron microscope (TEM) with an accelerating voltage of 100 kV was used. The substances in the composition of the composite nanopowder were identified using the infrared absorption optical spectrum. To conduct this analysis, the Nicolet 5700 FT-IR spectrometer was used.

Analysis of soft x-ray emission spectra of laser-produced dysprosium, erbium and thulium plasmas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sheil, John; Dunne, Padraig; Higashiguchi, Takeshi; Kos, Domagoj; Long, Elaine; Miyazaki, Takanori; O'Reilly, Fergal; O'Sullivan, Gerard; Sheridan, Paul; Suzuki, Chihiro; Sokell, Emma; White, Elgiva; Kilbane, Deirdre

2017-03-01

Soft x-ray emission spectra of dysprosium, erbium and thulium ions created in laser-produced plasmas were recorded with a flat-field grazing-incidence spectrometer in the 2.5-8 nm spectral range. The ions were produced using an Nd:YAG laser of 7 ns pulse duration and the spectra were recorded at various power densities. The experimental spectra were interpreted with the aid of the Cowan suite of atomic structure codes and the flexible atomic code. At wavelengths above 5.5 nm the spectra are dominated by overlapping n = 4 - n = 4 unresolved transition arrays from adjacent ion stages. Below 6 nm, n = 4 - n = 5 transitions also give rise to a series of interesting overlapping spectral features.

Computational and experimental investigation of plasma deflagration jets and detonation shocks in coaxial plasma accelerators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Subramaniam, Vivek; Underwood, Thomas C.; Raja, Laxminarayan L.; Cappelli, Mark A.

2018-02-01

We present a magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) numerical simulation to study the physical mechanisms underlying plasma acceleration in a coaxial plasma gun. Coaxial plasma accelerators are known to exhibit two distinct modes of operation depending on the delay between gas loading and capacitor discharging. Shorter delays lead to a high velocity plasma deflagration jet and longer delays produce detonation shocks. During a single operational cycle that typically consists of two discharge events, the plasma acceleration exhibits a behavior characterized by a mode transition from deflagration to detonation. The first of the discharge events, a deflagration that occurs when the discharge expands into an initially evacuated domain, requires a modification of the standard MHD algorithm to account for rarefied regions of the simulation domain. The conventional approach of using a low background density gas to mimic the vacuum background results in the formation of an artificial shock, inconsistent with the physics of free expansion. To this end, we present a plasma-vacuum interface tracking framework with the objective of predicting a physically consistent free expansion, devoid of the spurious shock obtained with the low background density approach. The interface tracking formulation is integrated within the MHD framework to simulate the plasma deflagration and the second discharge event, a plasma detonation, formed due to its initiation in a background prefilled with gas remnant from the deflagration. The mode transition behavior obtained in the simulations is qualitatively compared to that observed in the experiments using high framing rate Schlieren videography. The deflagration mode is further investigated to understand the jet formation process and the axial velocities obtained are compared against experimentally obtained deflagration plasma front velocities. The simulations are also used to provide insight into the conditions responsible for the generation and sustenance of

Slowing of magnetic reconnection concurrent with weakening plasma inflows and increasing collisionality in strongly-driven laser-plasma experiments

DOE PAGES

Rosenberg, M.  J.; Li, C.  K.; Fox, W.; ...

2015-05-20

An evolution of magnetic reconnection behavior, from fast jets to the slowing of reconnection and the establishment of a stable current sheet, has been observed in strongly-driven, β ≲ 20 laser-produced plasma experiments. This process has been inferred to occur alongside a slowing of plasma inflows carrying the oppositely-directed magnetic fields as well as the evolution of plasma conditions from collisionless to collisional. High-resolution proton radiography has revealed unprecedented detail of the forced interaction of magnetic fields and super-Alfvénic electron jets (V jet~ 20V A) ejected from the reconnection region, indicating that two-fluid or collisionless magnetic reconnection occurs early inmore » time. The absence of jets and the persistence of strong, stable magnetic fields at late times indicates that the reconnection process slows down, while plasma flows stagnate and plasma conditions evolve to a cooler, denser, more collisional state. These results demonstrate that powerful initial plasma flows are not sufficient to force a complete reconnection of magnetic fields, even in the strongly-driven regime.« less

New Outreach Initiatives at the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zwicker, Andrew; Dominguez, Arturo; Greco, Shannon; Ortiz, Deedee; Delooper, John

2015-11-01

In FY15, PPPL concentrated its efforts on a portfolio of outreach activities centered around plasma science and fusion energy that have the potential to reach a large audience and have a significant and measurable impact. The overall goal of these outreach activities is to expose the public (within New Jersey, the US and the world) to the Department of Energy's scientific endeavors and specifically to PPPL's research regarding fusion and plasma science. The projects include several new activities along with upgrades to existing ones. The new activities include the development of outreach demos for the plasma physics community and the upgrade of the Internet Plasma Physics Experience (IPPEX). Our first plasma demo is a low cost DC glow discharge, suitable for tours as well as for student laboratories (plasma breakdown, spectroscopy, probes). This has been field tested in a variety of classes and events. The upgrade to the IPPEX web site includes a new template and a new interactive virtual tokamak. Future work on IPPEX will provide users limited access to data from NSTX-U. Finally, our Young Women's Conference was expanded and improved. These and other new outreach activities will be presented.

Laboratory simulation of energetic flows of magnetospheric planetary plasma

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shaikhislamov, I. F.; Posukh, V. G.; Melekhov, A. V.; Boyarintsev, E. L.; Zakharov, Yu P.; Prokopov, P. A.; Ponomarenko, A. G.

2017-01-01

Dynamic interaction of super-sonic counter-streaming plasmas moving in dipole magnetic dipole is studied in laboratory experiment. First, a quasi-stationary flow is produced by plasma gun which forms a magnetosphere around the magnetic dipole. Second, explosive plasma expanding from inner dipole region outward is launch by laser beams focused at the surface of the dipole cover. Laser plasma is energetic enough to disrupt magnetic field and to sweep through the background plasma for large distances. Probe measurements showed that far from the initially formed magnetosphere laser plasma carries within itself a magnetic field of the same direction but order of magnitude larger in value than the vacuum dipole field at considered distances. Because no compression of magnetic field at the front of laser plasma was observed, the realized interaction is different from previous experiments and theoretical models of laser plasma expansion into uniform magnetized background. It was deduced based on the obtained data that laser plasma while expanding through inner magnetosphere picks up a magnetized shell formed by background plasma and carries it for large distances beyond previously existing magnetosphere.

Parametric study of plasma-mediated thermoluminescence produced by Al2O3 sub-micron powders

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morávek, T.; Ambrico, P. F.; Ambrico, M.; Schiavulli, L.; Ráheľ, J.

2017-10-01

Sub-micron Al2O3 powders with a surface activated by dielectric barrier discharge exhibit improved performance in wet deposition of ceramic layers. In addressing the possible mechanisms responsible for the observed improvement, a comprehensive thermoluminescence (TL) study of plasma-activated powders was performed. TL offers the unique possibility of exploring the population of intrinsic electrons/holes in the charge trapping states. This study covers a wide range of experimental conditions affecting the TL of powders: treatment time, plasma working gas composition, change of discharge configuration, step-annealing of powder, exposure to laser irradiation and aging time. Deconvoluted TL spectra were followed for the changes in their relative contributions. The TL spectra of all tested gases (air, Ar, N2 and 5% He in N2) consist of the well-known main dosimetric peak at 450 K and a peak of similar magnitude at higher temperatures, centered between 700 and 800 K depending on the working gas used. N2 plasma treatment gave rise to a new specific TL peak at 510 K, which exhibited several peculiarities. Initial thermal annealing of Al2O3 powders led to its significant amplification (unlike the other peaks); the peak was insensitive to optical bleaching, and it exhibited slow gradual growth during the long-term aging test. Besides its relevance to the ceramic processing studies, a comprehensive set of data is presented that provides a useful and unconventional view on plasma-mediated material changes.

Method for producing carbon nanotubes

DOEpatents

Phillips, Jonathan [Santa Fe, NM; Perry, William L [Jemez Springs, NM; Chen, Chun-Ku [Albuquerque, NM

2006-02-14

Method for producing carbon nanotubes. Carbon nanotubes were prepared using a low power, atmospheric pressure, microwave-generated plasma torch system. After generating carbon monoxide microwave plasma, a flow of carbon monoxide was directed first through a bed of metal particles/glass beads and then along the outer surface of a ceramic tube located in the plasma. As a flow of argon was introduced into the plasma through the ceramic tube, ropes of entangled carbon nanotubes, attached to the surface of the tube, were produced. Of these, longer ropes formed on the surface portion of the tube located in the center of the plasma. Transmission electron micrographs of individual nanotubes revealed that many were single-walled.

Involvement of small carbon clusters in the enhancement of high-order harmonic generation of ultrashort pulses in the plasmas produced during ablation of carbon-contained nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ganeev, R. A.

2017-09-01

Various carbon-based nanoparticles ablated at the conditions suitable for efficient harmonic generation during propagation of ultrashort pulses through the laser-produced plasmas were studied. The transmission electron microscopy of ablated debris and the time-of-flight mass-spectroscopy studies of plasmas are presented. The conditions of laser ablation of the carbon-contained nanoparticles (fullerenes, graphene, carbon nanotubes, carbon nanofibers, and diamond nanoparticles) were varied to define the impeding processes restricting the harmonic yield from such laser-produced plasmas. These studies show that the enhancement of harmonics during ablation of nanoparticle targets was related with the appearance of small carbon clusters at the moment of propagation of the ultrashort laser pulses though such plasmas.

Friction and wear of plasma-deposited diamond films

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Miyoshi, Kazuhisa; Wu, Richard L. C.; Garscadden, Alan; Barnes, Paul N.; Jackson, Howard E.

1993-01-01

Reciprocating sliding friction experiments in humid air and in dry nitrogen and unidirectional sliding friction experiments in ultrahigh vacuum were conducted with a natural diamond pin in contact with microwave-plasma-deposited diamond films. Diamond films with a surface roughness (R rms) ranging from 15 to 160 nm were produced by microwave-plasma-assisted chemical vapor deposition. In humid air and in dry nitrogen, abrasion occurred when the diamond pin made grooves in the surfaces of diamond films, and thus the initial coefficients of friction increased with increasing initial surface roughness. The equilibrium coefficients of friction were independent of the initial surface roughness of the diamond films. In vacuum the friction for diamond films contacting a diamond pin arose primarily from adhesion between the sliding surfaces. In these cases, the initial and equilibrium coefficients of friction were independent of the initial surface roughness of the diamond films. The equilibrium coefficients of friction were 0.02 to 0.04 in humid air and in dry nitrogen, but 1.5 to 1.8 in vacuum. The wear factor of the diamond films depended on the initial surface roughness, regardless of environment; it increased with increasing initial surface roughness. The wear factors were considerably higher in vacuum than in humid air and in dry nitrogen.

Time of flight emission spectroscopy of laser produced nickel plasma: Short-pulse and ultrafast excitations

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Smijesh, N.; Chandrasekharan, K.; Joshi, Jagdish C.

2014-07-07

We report the experimental investigation and comparison of the temporal features of short-pulse (7 ns) and ultrafast (100 fs) laser produced plasmas generated from a solid nickel target, expanding into a nitrogen background. When the ambient pressure is varied in a large range of 10⁻⁶Torr to 10²Torr, the plume intensity is found to increase rapidly as the pressure crosses 1 Torr. Time of flight (TOF) spectroscopy of emission from neutral nickel (Ni I) at 361.9 nm (3d⁹(²D) 4p → 3d⁹(²D) 4s transition) reveals two peaks (fast and slow species) in short-pulse excitation and a single peak in ultrafast excitation. Themore » fast and slow peaks represent recombined neutrals and un-ionized neutrals, respectively. TOF emission from singly ionized nickel (Ni II) studied using the 428.5 nm (3p⁶3d⁸(³P) 4s→ 3p⁶3d⁹ 4s) transition shows only a single peak for either excitation. Velocities of the neutral and ionic species are determined from TOF measurements carried out at different positions (i.e., at distances of 2 mm and 4 mm, respectively, from the target surface) on the plume axis. Measured velocities indicate acceleration of neutrals and ions, which is caused by the Coulomb pull of the electrons enveloping the plume front in the case of ultrafast excitation. Both Coulomb pull and laser-plasma interaction contribute to the acceleration in the case of short-pulse excitation. These investigations provide new information on the pressure dependent temporal behavior of nickel plasmas produced by short-pulse and ultrafast laser pulses, which have potential uses in applications such as pulsed laser deposition and laser-induced nanoparticle generation.« less

Initial Results of DC Electric Fields, Associated Plasma Drifts, Magnetic Fields, and Plasma Waves Observed on the C/NOFS Satellite

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pfaff, R.; Freudenreich, H.; Bromund, K.; Klenzing, J.; Rowland, D.; Maynard, N.

2010-01-01

Initial results are presented from the Vector Electric Field Investigation (VEFI) on the Air Force Communication/Navigation Outage Forecasting System (C/NOFS) satellite, a mission designed to understand, model, and forecast the presence of equatorial ionospheric irregularities. The VEFI instrument includes a vector DC electric field detector, a fixed-bias Langmuir probe operating in the ion saturation regime, a flux gate magnetometer, an optical lightning detector, and associated electronics including a burst memory. Compared to data obtained during more active solar conditions, the ambient DC electric fields and their associated E x B drifts are variable and somewhat weak, typically < 1 mV/m. Although average drift directions show similarities to those previously reported, eastward/outward during day and westward/downward at night, this pattern varies significantly with longitude and is not always present. Daytime vertical drifts near the magnetic equator are largest after sunrise, with smaller average velocities after noon. Little or no pre-reversal enhancement in the vertical drift near sunset is observed, attributable to the solar minimum conditions creating a much reduced neutral dynamo at the satellite altitude. The nighttime ionosphere is characterized by larger amplitude, structured electric fields, even where the plasma density appears nearly quiescent. Data from successive orbits reveal that the vertical drifts and plasma density are both clearly organized with longitude. The spread-F density depletions and corresponding electric fields that have been detected thus far have displayed a preponderance to appear between midnight and dawn. Associated with the narrow plasma depletions that are detected are broad spectra of electric field and plasma density irregularities for which a full vector set of measurements is available for detailed study. Finally, the data set includes a wide range of ELF/VLF/HF oscillations corresponding to a variety of plasma waves

Application of an enzyme-labeled antigen method for visualizing plasma cells producing antibodies against Strep A, a carbohydrate antigen of Streptococcus pyogenes, in recurrent tonsillitis.

PubMed

Onouchi, Takanori; Mizutani, Yasuyoshi; Shiogama, Kazuya; Inada, Ken-ichi; Okada, Tatsuyoshi; Naito, Kensei; Tsutsumi, Yutaka

2015-01-01

Streptococcus pyogenes is the main causative pathogen of recurrent tonsillitis. Histologically, lesions of recurrent tonsillitis contain numerous plasma cells. Strep A is an antigenic carbohydrate molecule on the cell wall of S. pyogenes. As expected, plasma cells in subjects with recurrent tonsillitis secrete antibodies against Strep A. The enzyme-labeled antigen method is a novel histochemical technique that visualizes specific antibody-producing cells in tissue sections by employing a biotin-labeled antigen as a probe. The purpose of the present study was to visualize plasma cells producing antibodies reactive with Strep A in recurrent tonsillitis. Firstly, the lymph nodes of rats immunized with boiled S. pyogenes were paraformaldehyde-fixed and specific plasma cells localized in frozen sections with biotinylated Strep A. Secondly, an enzyme-labeled antigen method was used on human tonsil surgically removed from 12 patients with recurrent tonsillitis. S. pyogenes genomes were PCR-detected in all 12 specimens. The emm genotypes belonged to emm12 in nine specimens and emm1 in three. Plasma cells producing anti-Strep A antibodies were demonstrated in prefixed frozen sections of rat lymph nodes, 8/12 human specimens from patients with recurrent tonsillitis but not in two control tonsils. In human tonsils, Strep A-reactive plasma cells were observed within the reticular squamous mucosa and just below the mucosa, and the specific antibodies belonged to either IgA or IgG classes. Our technique is effective in visualizing immunocytes producing specific antibodies against the bacterial carbohydrate antigen, and is thus a novel histochemical tool for analyzing immune reactions in infectious disorders. © 2014 The Authors. Microbiology and Immunology Published by The Societies and Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

Public Data Set: Initiation and Sustainment of Tokamak Plasmas with Local Helicity Injection as the Majority Current Drive

DOE Data Explorer

Perry, Justin M. [University of Wisconsin-Madison] (ORCID:0000000171228609); Bodner, Grant M. [University of Wisconsin-Madison] (ORCID:0000000324979172); Bongard, Michael W. [University of Wisconsin-Madison] (ORCID:0000000231609746); Burke, Marcus G. [University of Wisconsin-Madison] (ORCID:0000000176193724); Fonck, Raymond J. [University of Wisconsin-Madison] (ORCID:0000000294386762); Pachicano, Jessica L. [University of Wisconsin-Madison] (ORCID:0000000207255693); Pierren, Christopher [University of Wisconsin-Madison] (ORCID:0000000228289825); Reusch, Joshua A. [University of Wisconsin-Madison] (ORCID:0000000284249422); Rhodes, Alexander T. [University of Wisconsin-Madison] (ORCID:0000000280735714); Richner, Nathan J. [University of Wisconsin-Madison] (ORCID:0000000155443915); Rodriguez Sanchez, Cuauhtemoc [University of Wisconsin-Madison] (ORCID:0000000334712586); Schaefer, Carolyn E. [University of Wisconsin-Madison] (ORCID:0000000248848727); Weberski, Justin D. [University of Wisconsin-Madison] (ORCID:0000000256267914)

2018-05-22

This public data set contains openly-documented, machine readable digital research data corresponding to figures published in J.M. Perry et al., 'Initiation and Sustainment of Tokamak Plasmas with Local Helicity Injection as the Majority Current Drive,' accepted for publication in Nuclear Fusion.

Atomic processes and equation of state of high Z plasmas for EUV sources and their effects on the spatial and temporal evolution of the plasmas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sasaki, Akira; Sunahara, Atushi; Furukawa, Hiroyuki; Nishihara, Katsunobu; Nishikawa, Takeshi; Koike, Fumihiro

2016-03-01

Laser-produced plasma (LPP) extreme ultraviolet (EUV) light sources have been intensively investigated due to potential application to next-generation semiconductor technology. Current studies focus on the atomic processes and hydrodynamics of plasmas to develop shorter wavelength sources at λ = 6.x nm as well as to improve the conversion efficiency (CE) of λ = 13.5 nm sources. This paper examines the atomic processes of mid-z elements, which are potential candidates for λ = 6.x nm source using n=3-3 transitions. Furthermore, a method to calculate the hydrodynamics of the plasmas in terms of the initial interaction between a relatively weak prepulse laser is presented.

Plasma observations near saturn: initial results from voyager 2.

PubMed

Bridge, H S; Bagenal, F; Belcher, J W; Lazarus, A J; McNutt, R L; Sullivan, J D; Gazis, P R; Hartle, R E; Ogilvie, K W; Scudder, J D; Sittler, E C; Eviatar, A; Siscoe, G L; Goertz, C K; Vasyliunas, V M

1982-01-29

Results of measurements of plasma electrons and poitive ions made during the Voyager 2 encounter with Saturn have been combined with measurements from Voyager 1 and Pioneer 11 to define more clearly the configuration of plasma in the Saturnian magnetosphere. The general morphology is well represented by four regions: (i) the shocked solar wind plasma in the magnetosheath, observed between about 30 and 22 Saturn radii (RS) near the noon meridian; (ii) a variable density region between approximately 17 RS and the magnetopause; (iii) an extended thick plasma sheet between approximately 17 and approximately 7 RS symmetrical with respect to Saturn's equatorial plane and rotation axis; and (iv) an inner plasma torus that probably originates from local sources and extends inward from L approximately 7 to less than L approximately 2.7 (L is the magnetic shell parameter). In general, the heavy ions, probably O(+), are more closely confined to the equatorial plane than H(+), so that the ratio of heavy to light ions varies along the trajectory according to the distance of the spacecraft from the equatorial plane. The general configuration of the plasma sheet at Saturn found by Voyager 1 is confirmed, with some notable differences and additions. The "extended plasma sheet," observed between L approximately 7 and L approximately 15 by Voyager 1 is considerably thicker as observed by Voyager 2. Inward of L approximately 4, the plasma sheet collapses to a thin region about the equatorial plane. At the ring plane crossing, L approximately 2.7, the observations are consistent with a density of O(+) of approximately 100 per cubic centimeter, with a temperature of approximately 10 electron volts. The location of the bow shock and magnetopause crossings were consistent with those previously observed. The entire magnetosphere was larger during the outbound passage of Voyager 2 than had been previously observed; however, a magnetosphere of this size or larger is expected approximately 3

Visible spectral power emitted from a laser produced uranium plasma

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Williams, M. D.; Jalufka, N. W.

1975-01-01

The development of plasma-core nuclear reactors for advanced terrestrial and space-power sources is researched. Experimental measurements of the intensity and the spectral distribution of radiation from a nonfissioning uranium plasma are reported.

Sensitivity of RF-driven Plasma Filaments to Trace Gases

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Burin, M. J.; Czarnocki, C. J.; Czarnocki, K.; Zweben, S. J.; Zwicker, A.

2011-10-01

Filamentary structures have been observed in many types of plasma discharges in both natural (e.g. lightning) and industrial systems (e.g. dielectric barrier discharges). Recent progress has been made in characterizing these structures, though various aspects of their essential physics remain unclear. A common example of this phenomenon can be found within a toy plasma globe (or plasma ball), wherein a primarily neon gas mixture near atmospheric pressure clearly and aesthetically displays filamentation. Recent work has provided the first characterization of these plasma globe filaments [Campanell et al., Physics of Plasmas 2010], where it was noticed that discharges of pure gases tend not to produce filaments. We have extended this initial work to investigate in greater detail the dependence of trace gases on filamentation within a primarily Neon discharge. Our preliminary results using a custom globe apparatus will be presented, along with some discussion of voltage dependencies. Newly supported by the NSF/DOE Partnership in Basic Plasma Science and Engineering.

Jupiter plasma wave observations: an initial voyager 1 overview.

PubMed

Scarf, F L; Gurnett, D A; Kurth, W S

1979-06-01

The Voyager I plasma wave instrument detected low-frequency radio emissions, ion acoustic waves, and electron plasma oscillations for a period of months before encountering Jupiter's bow shock. In the outer magnetosphere, measurements of trapped radio waves were used to derive an electron density profile. Near and within the Io plasma torus the instrument detected high-frequency electrostatic waves, strong whistler mode turbulence, and discrete whistlers, apparently associated with lightning. Some strong emissions in the tail region and some impulsive signals have not yet been positively identified.

Plasma catecholamines and plasma corticosterone following restraint stress in juvenile alligators.

PubMed

Lance, V A; Elsey, R M

1999-05-01

Ten juvenile alligators, mean body mass 793 g, hatched from artificially incubated eggs and raised under controlled conditions, were held out of water with their jaws held closed for 48 hr. An initial blood sample was taken and further samples collected at 1, 2, 4, 8, 24, and 48 hr. Epinephrine, norepinephrine, and dopamine were measured in plasma aliquots of 1.5 ml using high pressure liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection. Corticosterone was measured by radioimmunoassay. Plasma glucose was measured using the Trinder method and plasma calcium, cholesterol, and triglycerides were measured in an autoanalyzer. Epinephrine was about 4 ng/ml at the initial bleed, but declined steadily to < 0.4 ng/ml by 24 hr. Norepinephrine was also about 4 ng/ml at the initial bleed, but rose to over 8 ng/ml at 1 hr, and then declined to < 0.2 ng/ml at 24 hr. A second, but smaller increase in plasma norepinephrine was seen at 48 hr. Plasma dopamine was low at the initial bleed (< 0.7 ng/ml), rose to over 8 ng/ml at 1 hr, then declined to < 0.2 ng/ml. Plasma corticosterone rose progressively for the first 4 hr, declined at 8 hr and 24 hr, then rose again at 48 hr. Plasma glucose rose significantly by 24 hr and remained elevated for 48 hr. Plasma calcium increased at 1, 2, and 4 hr then returned to levels not significantly different from the initial sample at 24 and 48 hr. The white blood cells showed changes indicating immune system suppression. By the end of the treatment the hetorophil/lymphocyte ratio increased to 4.7. These results suggest that handling alligators, taking multiple blood samples, and keeping them restrained for more than 8 hr is a severe stress to the animals.

Linear dependence of surface expansion speed on initial plasma temperature in warm dense matter

DOE PAGES

Bang, Woosuk; Albright, Brian James; Bradley, Paul Andrew; ...

2016-07-12

Recent progress in laser-driven quasi-monoenergetic ion beams enabled the production of uniformly heated warm dense matter. Matter heated rapidly with this technique is under extreme temperatures and pressures, and promptly expands outward. While the expansion speed of an ideal plasma is known to have a square-root dependence on temperature, computer simulations presented here show a linear dependence of expansion speed on initial plasma temperature in the warm dense matter regime. The expansion of uniformly heated 1–100 eV solid density gold foils was modeled with the RAGE radiation-hydrodynamics code, and the average surface expansion speed was found to increase linearly withmore » temperature. The origin of this linear dependence is explained by comparing predictions from the SESAME equation-of-state tables with those from the ideal gas equation-of-state. In conclusion, these simulations offer useful insight into the expansion of warm dense matter and motivate the application of optical shadowgraphy for temperature measurement.« less

Performance Effects of Adding a Parallel Capacitor to a Pulse Inductive Plasma Accelerator Powertrain

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Polzin, Kurt A.; Sivak, Amy D.; Balla, Joseph V.

2011-01-01

Pulsed inductive plasma accelerators are electrodeless space propulsion devices where a capacitor is charged to an initial voltage and then discharged through a coil as a high-current pulse that inductively couples energy into the propellant. The field produced by this pulse ionizes the propellant, producing a plasma near the face of the coil. Once a plasma is formed if can be accelerated and expelled at a high exhaust velocity by the Lorentz force arising from the interaction of an induced plasma current and the magnetic field. While there are many coil geometries that can be employed to inductively accelerate a plasma, in this paper the discussion is limit to planar geometries where the coil take the shape of a flat spiral. A recent review of the developmental history of planar-geometry pulsed inductive thrusters can be found in Ref. [1]. Two concepts that have employed this geometry are the Pulsed Inductive Thruster (PIT) and the Faraday Accelerator with Radio-frequency Assisted Discharge (FARAD).

An occult aldosterone-producing adenoma initially presenting as hyperosmolar hyperglycaemic state.

PubMed

Kuo, Feng-Chih; Hung, Yi-Jen; Hsieh, Chang-Hsun; Hsiao, Fone-Ching

2012-09-01

Aldosterone-producing adenoma (APA), one of the most common causes of primary hyperaldosteronism, is clinically characterized by hypertension, increased sodium retention, increased potassium excretion and altered glucose metabolism. APA can also manifest in the form of hyperosmolar hyperglycaemic state (HHS), which is a life-threatening acute diabetic complication. Infection and inadequate fluid replacement are the common precipitating and predisposing factors for the occurrence of HHS. Here, we report a case of occult APA with the initial presentation of HHS, in which an unusually rapid correction of diabetes was observed after correct diagnosis and surgical resection of the APA. To our knowledge, this is the first case with such manifestations and outcome.

Plasma X-Ray Sources for Lithography

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-05-12

in evaluating various plasma sources. In addition, a brief analysis is given of three devices, or systems, used to produce such plasmas: the electron beam- sliding spark, the dense plasma focus and the laser produced plasma.

Initial Thomson Scattering Survey of Local Helicity Injection and Ohmic Plasmas at the Pegasus Toroidal Experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schlossberg, D. J.; Bodner, G. M.; Bongard, M. W.; Fonck, R. J.; Winz, G. R.

2014-10-01

A multipoint Thomson scattering diagnostic has recently been installed on the Pegasus ST. The system utilizes a frequency-doubled Nd:YAG laser (λ0 ~ 532 nm), spectrometers with volume phase holographic gratings, and a gated, intensified CCD camera. It provides measurements of Te and ne at 8 spatial locations for each spectrometer once per discharge. A new multiple aperture and beam dump system has been implemented to mitigate interference from stray light. This system has provided initial measurements in the core region of plasmas initiated by local helicity injection (LHI), as well as conventional Ohmic L- and H-mode discharges. Multi-shot averages of low-density (ne ~ 3 ×1018 m-3) , Ip ~ 0 . 1 MA LHI discharges show central Te ~ 75 eV at the end of the helicity injection phase. Ip ~ 0 . 13 MA Ohmic plasmas at moderate densities (ne ~ 2 ×1019 m-3) have core Te ~ 150 eV in L-mode. Generally, these plasmas do not reach transport equilibrium in the short 25 ms pulse length available. After an L-H transition, strong spectral broadening indicates increasing Te, to values above the range of the present spectrometer system with a high-dispersion VPH grating. Near-term system upgrades will focus on deploying a second spectrometer, with a lower-dispersion grating capable of measuring the 0.1-1.0 keV range. The second spectrometer system will also increase the available number of spatial channels, enabling study of H-mode pedestal structure. Work supported by US DOE Grant DE-FG02-96ER54375.

Features of plasma produced by excimer laser at low intensities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vergunova, G. A.; Magunov, A. I.; Dyakin, V. M.; Faenov, A. Ya; Pikuz, T. A.; Skobelev, I. Yu; Batani, D.; Bossi, S.; Bernardinello, A.; Flora, F.; di Lazzaro, P.; Bollanti, S.; Lisi, N.; Letardi, T.; Reale, A.; Palladino, L.; Scafati, A.; Reale, L.; Osterheld, A. L.; Goldstein, W. H.

1997-04-01

A plasma, created at interaction of short-wavelength excimer laser radiation with flat targets was investigated (tlas = 12 ns, λlas = 0.308 μm, qlas = 4 - 8 × 1012 W/cm2) with the help of various x-ray spectroscopic methods. The comparison of shapes and intensities of some observable spectral lines of H-, He and Li-like ions of Na, Mg and Al with results of model calculations has allowed to determine space distributions of laser plasma parameters up to distances of 0.4 mm from the target surface. Comparison of obtained results with theoretical models of absorption of short-wavelength radiation in a plasma shows, that the absorption of short-wavelength laser radiation in a plasma (at considered values of laser flux density) is executed due to inverse bremsstrahlung process in the areas with Ne < Ne, crit..

Experiments on the Expansion of a Dense Plasma into a Background Magnetoplasma

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gekelman, Walter; Vanzeeland, Mike; Vincena, Steve; Pribyl, Pat

2003-10-01

There are many situations, which occur in space (coronal mass ejections, or are man-made (upper atmospheric detonations) as well as the initial stages of a supernovae, in which a dense plasma expands into a background magnetized plasma, that can support Alfvèn waves. The upgraded LArge Plasma Device (LAPD) is a machine, at UCLA, in which Alfvèn wave propagation in homogeneous and inhomogeneous plasmas has been studied. We describe a series of experiments,which involve the expansion of a dense (initially, n_laser-plasma/n_0≫1) laser-produced plasma into an ambient highly magnetized background plasma capable of supporting Alfvèn waves will be presented. The 150 MW laser is pulsed at the same 1 Hz repetition rate as the plasma in a highly reproducible experiment. The interaction results in the production of intense shear Alfvèn waves, as well as large density perturbations. The waves propagate away from the target and are observed to become plasma column resonances. In the initial phase the background magnetic field is expelled from a plasma bubble. Currents in the main body of the plasma are generated to neutralize the positively charged bubble. The current system which results, becomes that of a spectrum of shear Alfvèn waves. Spatial patterns of the wave magnetic fields waves are measured at over 10^4 locations. As the dense plasma expands across the magnetic field it seeds the column with shear waves. Most of the Alfvèn wave energy is in shear waves, which become field line resonances after a machine transit time. The interplay between waves, currents, inductive electric fields and space charge is analyzed in great detail. Dramatic movies of the measured wave fields and their associated currents will be presented. Work supported by ONR, and DOE /NSF.

Energy relaxation of intense laser pulse-produced plasmas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shihab, M.; Abou-Koura, G. H.; El-Siragy, N. M.

2016-05-01

We describe a collisional radiative model (CRE) of homogeneously expanded nickel plasmas in vacuum. The CRE model is coupled with two separate electron and ion temperature magneto-hydrodynamic equations. On the output, the model provides the temporal variation of the electron temperature, ion temperature, and average charge state. We demonstrate the effect of three-body recombination ({∝}N_e T^{-9/2}_e) on plasma parameters, as it changes the time dependence of electron temperature from t^{-2} to t^{-1} and exhibits a pronounced effect leading to a freezing feature in the average charge state. In addition, the effect of the three-body recombination on the warm up of ions and delaying the equilibration is addressed.

A physical mechanism producing suprathermal populations and initiating substorms in the Earth's magnetotail

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sarafopoulos, D. V.

2008-06-01

We suggest a candidate physical mechanism, combining there dimensional structure and temporal development, which is potentially able to produce suprathermal populations and cross-tail current disruptions in the Earth's plasma sheet. At the core of the proposed process is the "akis" structure; in a thin current sheet (TCS) the stretched (tail-like) magnetic field lines locally terminate into a sharp tip around the tail midplane. At this sharp tip of the TCS, ions become non-adiabatic, while a percentage of electrons are accumulated and trapped: The strong and transient electrostatic electric fields established along the magnetic field lines produce suprathermal populations. In parallel, the tip structure is associated with field aligned and mutually attracted parallel filamentary currents which progressively become more intense and inevitably the structure collapses, and so does the local TCS. The mechanism is observationally based on elementary, almost autonomous and spatiotemporal entities that correspond each to a local thinning/dipolarization pair having duration of ~1 min. Energetic proton and electron populations do not occur simultaneously, and we infer that they are separately accelerated at local thinnings and dipolarizations, respectively. In one example energetic particles are accelerated without any dB/dt variation and before the substorm expansion phase onset. A particular effort is undertaken demonstrating that the proposed acceleration mechanism may explain the plasma sheet ratio Ti/Te≍7. All our inferences are checked by the highest resolution datasets obtained by the Geotail Energetic Particles and Ion Composition (EPIC) instrument. The energetic particles are used as the best diagnostics for the accelerating source. Near Earth (X≍10 RE) selected events support our basic concept. The proposed mechanism seems to reveal a fundamental building block of the substorm phenomenon and may be the basic process/structure, which is now missing, that might

A tandem mirror hybrid plume plasma propulsion facility

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chang-Diaz, F. R.; Yang, T. F.; Krueger, W. A.; Peng, S.; Urbahn, J.; Yao, X.; Griffin, D.

1988-01-01

A concept in electrodeless plasma propulsion, which is also capable of delivering a variable Isp, is presented. The concept involves a three-stage system of plasma injection, heating, and subsequent ejection through a magnetic nozzle. The nozzle produces the hybrid plume by the coaxial injection of hypersonic neutral gas. The gas layer, thus formed, protects the material walls from the hot plasma and, through increased collisions, helps detach it from the diverging magnetic field. The physics of this concept is evaluated numerically through full spatial and temporal simulations; these explore the operating characteristics of such a device over a wide region of parameter space. An experimental facility to study the plasma dynamics in the hybrid plume was built. The device consists of a tandem mirror operating in an asymmetric mode. A later upgrade of this system will incorporate a cold plasma injector at one end of the machine. Initial experiments involve the full characterization of the operating envelope, as well as extensive measurements of plasma properties at the exhaust. The results of the numerical simulations are described.

Initial experimental test of a helicon plasma based mass filter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gueroult, R.; Evans, E. S.; Zweben, S. J.; Fisch, N. J.; Levinton, F.

2016-06-01

High throughput plasma mass separation requires rotation control in a high density multi-species plasmas. A preliminary mass separation device based on a helicon plasma operating in gas mixtures and featuring concentric biasable ring electrodes is introduced. Plasma profile shows strong response to electrode biasing. In light of floating potential measurements, the density response is interpreted as the consequence of a reshaping of the radial electric field in the plasma. This field can be made confining or de-confining depending on the imposed potential at the electrodes, in a way which is consistent with single particle orbit radial stability. Concurrent spatially resolved spectroscopic measurements suggest ion separation, with heavy to light ion emission line ratio increasing with radius when a specific potential gradient is applied to the electrodes.

Initial experimental test of a helicon plasma based mass filter

DOE PAGES

Gueroult, R.; Evans, E. S.; Zweben, S. J.; ...

2016-05-12

High throughput plasma mass separation requires rotation control in a high density multi-species plasmas. A preliminary mass separation device based on a helicon plasma operating in gas mixtures and featuring concentric biasable ring electrodes is introduced. Plasma profile shows strong response to electrode biasing. In light of floating potential measurements, the density response is interpreted as the consequence of a reshaping of the radial electric field in the plasma. This field can be made confining or de-confining depending on the imposed potential at the electrodes, in a way which is consistent with single particle orbit radial stability. In conclusion, concurrentmore » spatially resolved spectroscopic measurements suggest ion separation, with heavy to light ion emission line ratio increasing with radius when a specific potential gradient is applied to the electrodes.« less

Plasma observations near Saturn - Initial results from Voyager 1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bridge, H. S.; Belcher, J. W.; Lazarus, A. J.; Olbert, S.; Sullivan, J. D.; Bagenal, F.; Gazis, P. R.; Hartle, R. E.; Ogilvie, K. W.; Scudder, J. D.

1981-01-01

The Voyager 1 encounter with Saturn and its satellites yielded extensive measurements of magnetospheric low-energy plasma electrons and positive ions, both heavy and light, probably of hydrogen and nitrogen or oxygen. At radial distances between 15 and 7 Saturn radii on the inbound trajectory, the plasma appears to corotate with a velocity within 20% of that theoretically expected for rigid corotation. The Titan data, taken while the moon was inside the Saturn magnetosphere, shows a clear signature characteristic of the interaction between a subsonic corotating magnetospheric plasma and the atmospheric or ionospheric exosphere of Titan.

Core/shell silicon/polyaniline particles via in-flight plasma-induced polymerization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yasar-Inceoglu, Ozgul; Zhong, Lanlan; Mangolini, Lorenzo

2015-08-01

Although silicon nanoparticles have potential applications in many relevant fields, there is often the need for post-processing steps to tune the property of the nanomaterial and to optimize it for targeted applications. In particular surface modification is generally necessary to both tune dispersibility of the particles in desired solvents to achieve optimal coating conditions, and to interface the particles with other materials to realize functional heterostructures. In this contribution we discuss the realization of core/shell silicon/polymer nanoparticles realized using a plasma-initiated in-flight polymerization process. Silicon particles are produced in a non-thermal plasma reactor using silane as a precursor. After synthesis they are aerodynamically injected into a second plasma reactor into which aniline vapor is introduced. The second plasma initiates the polymerization reactor leading to the formation of a 3-4 nm thick polymer shell surrounding the silicon core. The role of processing conditions on the properties of the polymeric shell is discussed. Preliminary results on the testing of this material as an anode for lithium ion batteries are presented.

Controlled treatment of primary hypertension with propranolol and spironolactone. A crossover study with special reference to initial plasma renin activity.

PubMed

Karlberg, B E; Kågedal, B; Tegler, L; Tolagen, K; Bergman, B

1976-03-31

Twenty-seven patients with hypertension were randomly allocated to a 10 month crossover study. Treatment consisted of spironolactone (200 mg/day for 2 months), propranolol (320 mg/day for 2 months) and combined administration of both drugs at half the dosage. Between treatment periods placebo was given for 2 months. Fourteen patients were previously untreated. The average pretreatment blood pressure for the entire group was 188/114 +/- 16/7(mean +/- standard deviation) mm Hg supine and 188/118 +/- 20/9 mm Hg standing. Both spironolactone and propranolol reduced blood pressure significantly in both the supine and standing positions. Upright plasma renin activity was determined by radioimmunoassay of angiotensin I. The average initial level was 1.9 +/- 1.2 (range 0.4 to 5.0) ng/ml/hr. There was a close correlation between plasma renin activity and the effects of the drugs: With increasing renin level the response to propranolol was better whereas the opposite was true for spironolactone. The combination of spironolactone and propranolol decreased the blood pressure still further in the supine and standing positions, irrespective of initial plasma renin activity. All patients achieved a normal supine pressure. Blood pressure and plasma renin activity returned toward pretreatment values during placebo administration. It is concluded that pretreatment levels of plasma renin activity can predict the antihypertensive response to propranolol and spironolactone. The combination of the two drugs, which have different modes of action, will effectively reduce blood pressure in hypertension. The results support the concept that the renin-angiotensin-aldo-sterone system may be involved in primary hypertension.

PLASMA DEVICE

DOEpatents

Gow, J.D.; Wilcox, J.M.

1961-12-26

A device is designed for producing and confining highenergy plasma from which neutrons are generated in copious quantities. A rotating sheath of electrons is established in a radial electric field and axial magnetic field produced within the device. The electron sheath serves as a strong ionizing medium to gas introdueed thereto and also functions as an extremely effective heating mechanism to the resulting plasma. In addition, improved confinement of the plasma is obtained by ring magnetic mirror fields produced at the ends of the device. Such ring mirror fields are defined by the magnetic field lines at the ends of the device diverging radially outward from the axis of the device and thereafter converging at spatial annular surfaces disposed concentrically thereabout. (AFC)

Characterization of a dielectric barrier discharge in contact with liquid and producing a plasma activated water

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Neretti, G.; Taglioli, M.; Colonna, G.; Borghi, C. A.

2017-01-01

limited deviations from Maxwellian distribution were observed, calculated electron temperature is in good agreement with the one measured by means of spectroscopic diagnostics. Computed temporal evolution of the energy delivered to the discharge is comparable with the one obtained from electrical measurements. The electrical discharges supplied by both voltage waveforms produce plasma activated water with negligible thermal effects and pH variations.

Laser Plasma Microthruster Performance Evaluation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Luke, James R.; Phipps, Claude R.

2003-05-01

The micro laser plasma thruster (μLPT) is a sub-kilogram thruster that is capable of meeting the Air Force requirements for the Attitude Control System on a 100-kg class small satellite. The μLPT uses one or more 4W diode lasers to ablate a solid fuel, producing a jet of hot gas or plasma which creates thrust with a high thrust/power ratio. A pre-prototype continuous thrust experiment has been constructed and tested. The continuous thrust experiment uses a 505 mm long continuous loop fuel tape, which consists of a black laser-absorbing fuel material on a transparent plastic substrate. When the laser is operated continuously, the exhaust plume and thrust vector are steered in the direction of the tape motion. Thrust steering can be avoided by pulsing the laser. A torsion pendulum thrust stand has been constructed and calibrated. Many fuel materials and substrates have been tested. Best performance from a non-energetic fuel material was obtained with black polyvinyl chloride (PVC), which produced an average of 70 μN thrust and coupling coefficient (Cm) of 190 μN/W. A proprietary energetic material was also tested, in which the laser initiates a non-propagating detonation. This material produced 500 μN of thrust.

PLASMA GENERATOR

DOEpatents

Foster, J.S. Jr.

1958-03-11

This patent describes apparatus for producing an electricity neutral ionized gas discharge, termed a plasma, substantially free from contamination with neutral gas particles. The plasma generator of the present invention comprises a plasma chamber wherein gas introduced into the chamber is ionized by a radiofrequency source. A magnetic field is used to focus the plasma in line with an exit. This magnetic field cooperates with a differential pressure created across the exit to draw a uniform and uncontaminated plasma from the plasma chamber.

Using a Z-pinch precursor plasma to produce a cylindrical, hotspot ignition, ICF

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chittenden, Jeremy

2005-10-01

We show that if the same precursor plasma that exists in metal wire arrays can be generated with a Deuterium-Tritium plasma then this precursor provides an ideal target for a cylindrical magneto-inertial ICF scheme. The precursor is generated from a fraction of the mass of the array which arrives on the axis early in time and remains confined at high density by the inertia of further material bombarding the axis. Later on, the main implosion of the DT Z-pinch produces a dense, low temperature shell which compressively heats the precursor target to high temperatures and tamps its expansion. The azimuthal magnetic field in the hotspot is sufficient to reduce the Larmor radius for the alpha particles to much less than the hotspot size, which dramatically reduces the ρR required for ignition. A computational analysis of this approach is presented, including a study of the thermonuclear burn wave propagation. The robustness of the scheme with respect to instabilities, confinement time and drive parameters is examined. The results indicate that a high energy gain can be achieved using Z-pinches with 50-100 MA currents and a few hundred nanosecond rise-times. This work was partially supported by the U.S. Department of Energy through cooperative agreement DE-FC03-02NA00057.

Plasma expansion into a waveguide created by a linearly polarized femtosecond laser pulse

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lemos, N.; Grismayer, T.; Cardoso, L.

2013-06-15

We demonstrate the efficient generation of 4 mm and 8 mm long plasma waveguides in hydrogen and helium. These waveguides have matching spots sizes for 13 to 34 μm laser beams. The plasma waveguides are created by ultra-short laser pulses (sub-picosecond) of moderate intensities, ∼10{sup 15}–10{sup 16} W cm{sup −2}, that heat the plasma to initial temperatures of tens of eV in order to create a hot plasma column that will expand into a plasma waveguide. We have determined that the main heating mechanism when using fs laser pulses and plasma densities ∼10{sup 18–19} cm{sup −3} is Above Threshold Ionization.more » Detailed time and space electron density measurements are presented for the laser produced plasma waveguides.« less

Rarefaction waves, solitons, and holes in a pure electron plasma

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moody, J. D.; Driscoll, C. F.

1995-12-01

The propagation of holes, solitons, and rarefaction waves along the axis of a magnetized pure electron plasma column is described. The time dependence of the radially averaged density perturbation produced by the nonlinear waves is measured at several locations along the plasma column for a wide range of plasma parameters. The rarefaction waves are studied by measuring the free expansion of the plasma into a vacuum. A new hydrodynamic theory is described that quantitatively predicts the free expansion measurements. The rarefaction is initially characterized by a self-similar plasma flow, resulting in a perturbed density and velocity without a characteristic length scale. The electron solitons show a small increase in propagation speed with increasing amplitude and exhibit electron bursts. The holes show a decrease in propagation speed with increasing amplitude. Collisions between holes and solitons show that these objects pass through each other undisturbed, except for a small offset.

Plasma observations near saturn: initial results from voyager 1.

PubMed

Bridge, H S; Belcher, J W; Lazarus, A J; Olbert, S; Sullivan, J D; Bagenal, F; Gazis, P R; Hartle, R E; Ogilvie, K W; Scudder, J D; Sittler, E C; Eviatar, A; Siscoe, G L; Goertz, C K; Vasyliunas, V M

1981-04-10

Extensive measurements of low-energy plasma electrons and positive ions were made during the Voyager 1 encounter with Saturn and its satellites. The magnetospheric plasma contains light and heavy ions, probably hydrogen and nitrogen or oxygen; at radial distances between 15 and 7 Saturn-radii (Rs) on the inbound trajectory, the plasma appears to corotate with a velocity within 20 percent of that expected for rigid corotation. The general morphology of Saturn's magnetosphere is well represented by a plasma sheet that extends from at least 5 to 17 Rs, is symmetrical with respect to Saturn's equatorial plane and rotation axis, and appears to be well ordered by the magnetic shell parameter L (which represents the equatorial distance of a magnetic field line measured in units of Rs). Within this general configuration, two distinct structures can be identified: a central plasma sheet observed from L = 5 to L = 8 in which the density decreases rapidly away from the equatorial plane, and a more extended structure from L = 7 to beyond 18 Rs in which the density profile is nearly flat for a distance +/- 1.8 Rs off the plane and falls rapidly thereafter. The encounter with Titan took place inside the magnetosphere. The data show a clear signature characteristic of the interaction between a subsonic corotating magnetospheric plasma and the atmospheric or ionospheric exosphere of Titan. Titan appears to be a significant source of ions for the outer magnetosphere. The locations of bow shock crossings observed inbound and outbound indicate that the shape of the Saturnian magnetosphere is similar to that of Earth and that the position of the stagnation point scales approximately as the inverse one-sixth power of the ram pressure.

Device and method for relativistic electron beam heating of a high-density plasma to drive fast liners

DOEpatents

Thode, Lester E.

1981-01-01

A device and method for relativistic electron beam heating of a high-density plasma in a small localized region. A relativistic electron beam generator or accelerator produces a high-voltage electron beam which propagates along a vacuum drift tube and is modulated to initiate electron bunching within the beam. The beam is then directed through a low-density gas chamber which provides isolation between the vacuum modulator and the relativistic electron beam target. The relativistic beam is then applied to a high-density target plasma which typically comprises DT, DD, hydrogen boron or similar thermonuclear gas at a density of 10.sup.17 to 10.sup.20 electrons per cubic centimeter. The target gas is ionized prior to application of the electron beam by means of a laser or other preionization source to form a plasma. Utilizing a relativistic electron beam with an individual particle energy exceeding 3 MeV, classical scattering by relativistic electrons passing through isolation foils is negligible. As a result, relativistic streaming instabilities are initiated within the high-density target plasma causing the relativistic electron beam to efficiently deposit its energy and momentum into a small localized region of the high-density plasma target. Fast liners disposed in the high-density target plasma are explosively or ablatively driven to implosion by a heated annular plasma surrounding the fast liner which is generated by an annular relativistic electron beam. An azimuthal magnetic field produced by axial current flow in the annular plasma, causes the energy in the heated annular plasma to converge on the fast liner.

Dynamics of low- and high-Z metal ions emitted during nanosecond laser-produced plasmas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Elsied, Ahmed M.; Diwakar, Prasoon K.; Polek, Mathew; Hassanein, Ahmed

2016-11-01

Dynamics of metal ions during laser-produced plasmas was studied. A 1064 nm, Nd: YAG laser pulse was used to ablate pure Al, Fe, Co, Mo, and Sn samples. Ion flux and velocity were measured using Faraday cup ion collector. Time-of-flight measurements showed decreasing ion flux and ion velocity with increasing atomic weight, and heavy metal ion flux profile exhibited multiple peaks that was not observed in lighter metals. Slow peak was found to follow shifted Maxwell Boltzmann distribution, while the fast peak was found to follow Gaussian distribution. Ion flux angular distribution that was carried out on Mo and Al using fixed laser intensity 2.5 × 1010 W/cm2 revealed that the slow ion flux peaks at small angles, that is, close to normal to the target ˜0° independent of target's atomic weight, and fast ion flux for Mo peaks at large angles ˜40° measured from the target normal, while it completely absents for Al. This difference in spatial and temporal distribution reveals that the emission mechanism of the fast and slow ions is different. From the slow ion flux angular distribution, the measured plume expansion ratio (plume forward peaking) was 1.90 and 2.10 for Al and Mo, respectively. Moreover, the effect of incident laser intensity on the ion flux emission as well as the emitted ion velocity were investigated using laser intensities varying from 2.5 × 1010 W/cm2 to 1.0 × 1011 W/cm2. Linear increase of fast ion flux and velocity, and quadratic increase of slow ion flux and velocity were observed. For further understanding of plume dynamics, laser optical emission spectroscopy was used to characterize Sn plasma by measuring the temporal and spatial evolution of plasma electron density Ne and electron temperature Te. At 3.5 mm away from the target, plasma density showed slow decrease with time, however electron temperature was observed to decrease dramatically. The maximum plasma density and temperature occurred at 0.5 mm away from target and were measured to

A gated Thomson parabola spectrometer for improved ion and neutral atom measurements in intense laser produced plasmas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tata, Sheroy; Mondal, Angana; Sarkar, Soubhik; Lad, Amit D.; Krishnamurthy, M.

2017-08-01

Ions of high energy and high charge are accelerated from compact intense laser produced plasmas and are routinely analysed either by time of flight or Thomson parabola spectrometry. At the highest intensities where ion energies can be substantially large, both these techniques have limitations. Strong electromagnetic pulse noise jeopardises the arrival time measurement, and a bright central spot in the Thomson parabola spectrometer affects the signal to noise ratio of ion traces that approach close to the central spot. We present a gated Thomson parabola spectrometer that addresses these issues and provides an elegant method to improvise ion spectrometry. In addition, we demonstrate that this method provides the ability to detect and measure high energy neutral atoms that are invariably present in most intense laser plasma acceleration experiments.

A gated Thomson parabola spectrometer for improved ion and neutral atom measurements in intense laser produced plasmas.

PubMed

Tata, Sheroy; Mondal, Angana; Sarkar, Soubhik; Lad, Amit D; Krishnamurthy, M

2017-08-01

Ions of high energy and high charge are accelerated from compact intense laser produced plasmas and are routinely analysed either by time of flight or Thomson parabola spectrometry. At the highest intensities where ion energies can be substantially large, both these techniques have limitations. Strong electromagnetic pulse noise jeopardises the arrival time measurement, and a bright central spot in the Thomson parabola spectrometer affects the signal to noise ratio of ion traces that approach close to the central spot. We present a gated Thomson parabola spectrometer that addresses these issues and provides an elegant method to improvise ion spectrometry. In addition, we demonstrate that this method provides the ability to detect and measure high energy neutral atoms that are invariably present in most intense laser plasma acceleration experiments.

Initial design for an experimental investigation of strongly coupled plasma behavior in the Atlas facility

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Munson, C.P.; Benage, J.F. Jr.; Taylor, A.J.

Atlas is a high current ({approximately} 30 MA peak, with a current risetime {approximately} 4.5 {micro}sec), high energy (E{sub stored} = 24 MJ, E{sub load} = 3--6 MJ), pulsed power facility which is being constructed at Los Alamos National Laboratory with a scheduled completion date in the year 2000. When operational, this facility will provide a platform for experiments in high pressure shocks (> 20 Mbar), adiabatic compression ({rho}/{rho}{sub 0} > 5, P > 10 Mbar), high magnetic fields ({approximately} 2,000 T), high strain and strain rates ({var_epsilon} > 200%, d{var_epsilon}/dt {approximately} 10{sup 4} to 10{sup 6} s{sup {minus}1}), hydrodynamicmore » instabilities of materials in turbulent regimes, magnetized target fusion, equation of state, and strongly coupled plasmas. For the strongly coupled plasma experiments, an auxiliary capacitor bank will be used to generate a moderate density (< 0.1 solid), relatively cold ({approximately} 1 eV) plasma by ohmic heating of a conducting material of interest such as titanium. This stargate plasma will be compressed against a central column containing diagnostic instrumentation by a cylindrical conducting liner that is driven radially inward by current from the main Atlas capacitor bank. The plasma is predicted to reach densities of {approximately} 1.1 times solid, achieve ion and electron temperatures of {approximately} 10 eV, and pressures of {approximately} 4--5 Mbar. This is a density/temperature regime which is expected to experience strong coupling, but only partial degeneracy. X-ray radiography is planned for measurements of the material density at discrete times during the experiments; diamond Raman measurements are anticipated for determination of the pressure. In addition, a neutron resonance spectroscopic technique is being evaluated for possible determination of the temperature (through low percentage doping of the titanium with a suitable resonant material). Initial target plasma formation experiments

Controlled zone microwave plasma system

DOEpatents

Ripley, Edward B [Knoxville, TN; Seals, Roland D [Oak Ridge, TN; Morrell, Jonathan S [Knoxville, TN

2009-10-20

An apparatus and method for initiating a process gas plasma. A conductive plate having a plurality of conductive fingers is positioned in a microwave applicator. An arc forms between the conductive fingers to initiate the formation of a plasma. A transport mechanism may convey process materials through the plasma. A spray port may be provided to expel processed materials.

Spectroscopic Measurements of Collision-less Coupling Between Laser-Produced, Super-Alfvénic Debris Plasmas and Magnetized, Ambient Plasmas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bondarenko, Anton; Everson, E.; Schaeffer, D.; Constantin, C.; Vincena, S.; Van Compernolle, B.; Clark, S.; Niemann, C.

2013-06-01

Emission spectroscopy is currently being utilized in order to assess collision-less momentum and energy coupling between super-Alfvénic debris plasmas and magnetized, ambient plasmas of astrophysical relevance. In a recent campaign on the Large Plasma Device (LAPD) utilizing the Phoenix laboratory Raptor laser (130 J, 25 ns FWHM), laser-ablated carbon debris plasmas were generated within magnetized, ambient helium plasmas (nelec ≈ 3×1012 cm-3, Telec ≈ 5.5 eV, B0 = 200 G), and prominent spectral lines of carbon and helium ions were studied in high resolution (˜ 0.01 nm). Time-resolved Doppler shift and width measurements of a C V ion spectral line reveal significant deceleration as the ions stream through the background plasma, which may indirectly indicate momentum coupling. Spectral lines of He II ions are observed to intensify by orders of magnitude and broaden, indicating energy transfer from the debris plasma to the background plasma.

Effect of antigravity suit inflation on cardiovascular, PRA, and PVP responses in humans. [Plasma Renin Activity and Plasma VasoPressin

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kravik, S. E.; Keil, L. C.; Geelen, G.; Wade, C. E.; Barnes, P. R.

1986-01-01

The effects of lower body and abdominal pressure, produced by antigravity suit inflation, on blood pressure, pulse rate, fluid and electrolyte shift, plasma vasopressin and plasma renin activity in humans in upright postures were studied. Five men and two women stood upright for 3 hr with the suit being either inflated or uninflated. In the control tests, the suit was inflated only during the latter part of the trials. Monitoring was carried out with a sphygnomanometer, with sensors for pulse rates, and using a photometer and osmometer to measure blood serum characteristics. The tests confirmed earlier findings that the anti-g suit eliminates increases in plasma renin activity. Also, the headward redistribution of blood obtained in the tests commends the anti-g suit as an alternative to water immersion or bed rest for initial weightlessness studies.

Device and method for electron beam heating of a high density plasma

DOEpatents

Thode, Lester E.

1981-01-01

A device and method for relativistic electron beam heating of a high density plasma in a small localized region. A relativistic electron beam generator produces a high voltage electron beam which propagates along a vacuum drift tube and is modulated to initiate electron bunching within the beam. The beam is then directed through a low density gas chamber which provides isolation between the vacuum modulator and the relativistic electron beam target. The relativistic beam is then applied to a high density target plasma which typically comprises DT, DD, hydrogen boron or similar thermonuclear gas at a density of 10.sup.17 to 10.sup.20 electrons per cubic centimeter. The target plasma is ionized prior to application of the electron beam by means of a laser or other preionization source. Utilizing a relativistic electron beam with an individual particle energy exceeding 3 MeV, classical scattering by relativistic electrons passing through isolation foils is negligible. As a result, relativistic streaming instabilities are initiated within the high density target plasma causing the relativistic electron beam to efficiently deposit its energy into a small localized region within the high density plasma target.

Atmospheric Pressure Plasma Induced Sterilization and Chemical Neutralization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Garate, Eusebio; Evans, Kirk; Gornostaeva, Olga; Alexeff, Igor; Lock Kang, Weng; Wood, Thomas K.

1998-11-01

We are studying chemical neutralization and surface decontamination using atmospheric pressure plasma discharges. The plasma is produced by corona discharge from an array of pins and a ground plane. The array is constructed so that various gases, like argon or helium, can be flowed past the pins where the discharge is initiated. The pin array can be biased using either DC, AC or pulsed discharges. Results indicate that the atmospheric plasma is effective in sterilizing surfaces with biological contaminants like E-coli and bacillus subtilus cells. Exposure times of less than four minutes in an air plasma result in a decrease in live colony counts by six orders of magnitude. Greater exposure times result in a decrease of live colony counts of up to ten orders of magnitude. The atmospheric pressure discharge is also effective in decomposing organic phosphate compounds that are simulants for chemical warfare agents. Details of the decomposition chemistry, by-product formation, and electrical energy consumption of the system will be discussed.

High Power Hydrogen Injector with Beam Focusing for Plasma Heating

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Deichuli, P.P.; Ivanov, A.A.; Korepanov, S.A.

2005-01-15

High power neutral beam injector has been developed with the atom energy of 25 keV, a current of 60 A, and several milliseconds pulse duration. Six of these injectors will be used for upgrade of the atomic injection system at central cell of a Gas Dynamic Trap (GDT) device and 2 injectors are planned for SHIP experiment.The injector ion source is based on an arc discharge plasma box. The plasma emitter is produced by a 1 kA arc discharge in hydrogen. A multipole magnetic field produced with permanent magnets at the periphery of the plasma box is used to increasemore » its efficiency and improve homogeneity of the plasma emitter. The ion beam is extracted by a 4-electrodes ion optical system (IOS). Initial beam diameter is 200 mm. The grids of the IOS have a spherical curvature for geometrical focusing of the beam. The optimal IOS geometry and grid potentials were found with the numerical simulation to provide precise beam formation. The measured angular divergence of the beam is 0.02 rad, which corresponds to the 2.5 cm Gaussian radius of the beam profile measured at focal point.« less

Low-debris, efficient laser-produced plasma extreme ultraviolet source by use of a regenerative liquid microjet target containing tin dioxide (SnO2) nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Higashiguchi, Takeshi; Dojyo, Naoto; Hamada, Masaya; Sasaki, Wataru; Kubodera, Shoichi

2006-05-01

We demonstrated a low-debris, efficient laser-produced plasma extreme ultraviolet (EUV) source by use of a regenerative liquid microjet target containing tin-dioxide (SnO2) nanoparticles. By using a low SnO2 concentration (6%) solution and dual laser pulses for the plasma control, we observed the EUV conversion efficiency of 1.2% with undetectable debris.

Plasma flow in peripheral region of detached plasma in linear plasma device

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hayashi, Y., E-mail: hayashi-yuki13@ees.nagoya-u.ac.jp; Ohno, N.; Kajita, S.

2016-01-15

A plasma flow structure is investigated using a Mach probe under detached plasma condition in a linear plasma device NAGDIS-II. A reverse flow along the magnetic field is observed in a steady-state at far-peripheral region of the plasma column in the upstream side from the recombination front. These experimental results indicate that plasma near the recombination front should strongly diffuse across the magnetic field, and it should be transported along the magnetic field in the reverse flow direction. Furthermore, bursty plasma density fluctuations associated with intermittent convective plasma transport are observed in the far-peripheral region of the plasma column inmore » both upstream and downstream sides from the recombination front. Such a nondiffusive transport can contribute to the intermittent reverse plasma flow, and the experimental results indicate that intermittent transports are frequently produced near the recombination front.« less

Plasma ignition for laser propulsion

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Askew, R. F.

1982-01-01

For a specific optical system a pulsed carbon dioxide laser having an energy output of up to 15 joules was used to initiate a plasma in air at one atmosphere pressure. The spatial and temporal development of the plasma were measured using a multiframe image converter camera. In addition the time dependent velocity of the laser supported plasma front which moves opposite to the direction of the laser pulse was measured in order to characterize the type of wavefront developed. Reliable and reproducible spark initiation was achieved. The lifetime of the highly dense plasma at the initial focal spot was determined to be less than 100 nanoseconds. The plasma front propagates toward the laser at a variable speed ranging from zero to 1.6 x 1,000,000 m/sec. The plasma front propagates for a total distance of approximately five centimeters for the energy and laser pulse shape employed.

Spectral modeling of laser-produced underdense titanium plasmas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chung, Hyun-Kyung; Back, Christina A.; Scott, Howard A.; Constantin, Carmen; Lee, Richard W.

2004-11-01

Experiments were performed at the NIKE laser to create underdense low-Z plasmas with a small amount of high-Z dopant in order to study non-LTE population kinetics. An absolutely calibrated spectra in 470-3000 eV was measured in time-resolved and time-averaged fashion from SiO2 aerogel target with 3% Ti dopant. K-shell Ti emission was observed as well as L-shell Ti emission. Time-resolved emission show that lower energy photons peak later than higher energy photons due to plasma cooling. In this work, we compare the measured spectra with non-LTE spectral calculations of titanium emission at relatively low temperatures < 1 keV and electron densities from 1e19 to 1e21 cm-3. A temperature diagnostics using the charge state distributions dominated by L-shell ions will be discussed.

Plasma formation in water vapour layers in high conductivity liquids

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kelsey, C. P.; Schaper, L.; Stalder, K. R.; Graham, W. G.

2011-10-01

The vapour layer development stage of relatively low voltage plasmas in conducting solutions has already been well explored. The nature of the discharges formed within the vapour layer however is still largely unexplored. Here we examine the nature of such discharges through a combination of fast imaging and spatially, temporally resolved spectroscopy and electrical characterisation. The experimental setup used is a pin-to-plate discharge configuration with a -350V, 200 μs pulse applied at a repetition rate of 2Hz. A lens, followed by beam splitter allows beams to one Andor ICCD camera to capture images of the plasma emission with a second camera at the exit of a high resolution spectrometer. Through synchronization of the camera images at specified times after plasma ignition (as determined from current-voltage characteristics) they can be correlated with the spectra features. Initial measurements reveal two apparently different plasma formations. Stark broadening of the hydrogen Balmer beta line indicate electron densities of 3 to 5 ×1020 m-3 for plasmas produced early in the voltage pulse and an order of magnitude less for the later plasmas. The vapour layer development stage of relatively low voltage plasmas in conducting solutions has already been well explored. The nature of the discharges formed within the vapour layer however is still largely unexplored. Here we examine the nature of such discharges through a combination of fast imaging and spatially, temporally resolved spectroscopy and electrical characterisation. The experimental setup used is a pin-to-plate discharge configuration with a -350V, 200 μs pulse applied at a repetition rate of 2Hz. A lens, followed by beam splitter allows beams to one Andor ICCD camera to capture images of the plasma emission with a second camera at the exit of a high resolution spectrometer. Through synchronization of the camera images at specified times after plasma ignition (as determined from current

Electron plasma wave filamentation in the kinetic regime

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lushnikov, Pavel; Rose, Harvey; Silantyev, Denis

2016-10-01

We consider nonlinear electron plasma wave (EPW) dynamics in the kinetic wavenumber regime, 0.25 < kλD < 0.45 , which is typical for current high temperature laser-plasma interaction experiments, where k is the EPW wavenumber and λD is the electron Debye length. In this kinetic regime, EPW frequency reduction due to electron trapping may dominate the ponderomotive frequency shift. Previous 3D PIC simulations showed that the trapped electron EPW filamentation instability can saturate stimulated Raman backscatter by reducing the EPWs coherence but multidimensional Vlasov simulations [1] are needed to address that saturation in details. We performed nonlinear, non-equilibrium 2D Vlasov simulations to study the EPW filamentation. The initial conditions are created either by external forcing or by constructing the appropriate 1D travelling Bernstein-Greene-Kruskal (BGK) mode. Transverse perturbations of any of these initial conditions grow with time eventually producing strongly nonlinear filamentation followed by plasma turbulence. We compared these simulations with the theoretical results on growth rates of the transverse instability BGK mode showing the satisfactory agreement. Supported by the New Mexico Consortium and NSF DMS-1412140.

Single and double core-hole ion emission spectroscopy of transient neon plasmas produced by ultraintense x-ray laser pulses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gao, Cheng; Zeng, Jiaolong; Yuan, Jianmin

2016-05-01

Single core-hole (SCH) and double core-hole (DCH) spectroscopy is investigated systematically for neon gas in the interaction with ultraintense x-ray pulses with photon energy from 937 eV to 2000 eV. A time-dependent rate equation, implemented in the detailed level accounting approximation, is utilized to study the dynamical evolution of the level population and emission properties of the laser-produced highly transient plasmas. The plasma density effects on level populations are demonstrated with an x-ray photon energy of 2000 eV. For laser photon energy in the range of 937 - 1360 eV, resonant absorptions (RA) of 1s-np (n> = 2) transitions play important roles in time evolution of the population and DCH emission spectroscopy. For x-ray photon energy larger than 1360 eV, no RA exist and transient plasmas show different features in the DCH spectroscopy.

A contoured gap coaxial plasma gun with injected plasma armature.

PubMed

Witherspoon, F Douglas; Case, Andrew; Messer, Sarah J; Bomgardner, Richard; Phillips, Michael W; Brockington, Samuel; Elton, Raymond

2009-08-01

A new coaxial plasma gun is described. The long term objective is to accelerate 100-200 microg of plasma with density above 10(17) cm(-3) to greater than 200 km/s with a Mach number above 10. Such high velocity dense plasma jets have a number of potential fusion applications, including plasma refueling, magnetized target fusion, injection of angular momentum into centrifugally confined mirrors, high energy density plasmas, and others. The approach uses symmetric injection of high density plasma into a coaxial electromagnetic accelerator having an annular gap geometry tailored to prevent formation of the blow-by instability. The injected plasma is generated by numerous (currently 32) radially oriented capillary discharges arranged uniformly around the circumference of the angled annular injection region of the accelerator. Magnetohydrodynamic modeling identified electrode profiles that can achieve the desired plasma jet parameters. The experimental hardware is described along with initial experimental results in which approximately 200 microg has been accelerated to 100 km/s in a half-scale prototype gun. Initial observations of 64 merging injector jets in a planar cylindrical testing array are presented. Density and velocity are presently limited by available peak current and injection sources. Steps to increase both the drive current and the injected plasma mass are described for next generation experiments.

Plasma-initiated rehydrogenation of amorphous silicon to increase the temperature processing window of silicon heterojunction solar cells

DOE PAGES

Shi, Jianwei; Boccard, Mathieu; Holman, Zachary

2016-07-19

The dehydrogenation of intrinsic hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) at temperatures above approximately 300°C degrades its ability to passivate silicon wafer surfaces. This limits the temperature of post-passivation processing steps during the fabrication of advanced silicon heterojunction or silicon-based tandem solar cells. We demonstrate that a hydrogen plasma can rehydrogenate intrinsic a-Si:H passivation layers that have been dehydrogenated by annealing. The hydrogen plasma treatment fully restores the effective carrier lifetime to several milliseconds in textured crystalline siliconwafers coated with 8-nm-thick intrinsic a-Si:H layers after annealing at temperatures of up to 450°C. Plasma-initiated rehydrogenation also translates to complete solar cells: A silicon heterojunction solar cell subjected to annealing at 450°C (following intrinsic a-Si:H deposition) had an open-circuit voltage of less than 600 mV, but an identical cell that received hydrogen plasma treatment reached a voltagemore » of over 710 mV and an efficiency of over 19%.« less

Plasma-initiated rehydrogenation of amorphous silicon to increase the temperature processing window of silicon heterojunction solar cells

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Shi, Jianwei; Boccard, Mathieu; Holman, Zachary

The dehydrogenation of intrinsic hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) at temperatures above approximately 300°C degrades its ability to passivate silicon wafer surfaces. This limits the temperature of post-passivation processing steps during the fabrication of advanced silicon heterojunction or silicon-based tandem solar cells. We demonstrate that a hydrogen plasma can rehydrogenate intrinsic a-Si:H passivation layers that have been dehydrogenated by annealing. The hydrogen plasma treatment fully restores the effective carrier lifetime to several milliseconds in textured crystalline siliconwafers coated with 8-nm-thick intrinsic a-Si:H layers after annealing at temperatures of up to 450°C. Plasma-initiated rehydrogenation also translates to complete solar cells: A silicon heterojunction solar cell subjected to annealing at 450°C (following intrinsic a-Si:H deposition) had an open-circuit voltage of less than 600 mV, but an identical cell that received hydrogen plasma treatment reached a voltagemore » of over 710 mV and an efficiency of over 19%.« less

Development of a compact laser-produced plasma soft X-ray source for radiobiology experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Adjei, Daniel; Ayele, Mesfin Getachew; Wachulak, Przemyslaw; Bartnik, Andrzej; Wegrzynski, Łukasz; Fiedorowicz, Henryk; Vyšín, Luděk; Wiechec, Anna; Lekki, Janusz; Kwiatek, Wojciech M.; Pina, Ladislav; Davídková, Marie; Juha, Libor

2015-12-01

A desk-top laser-produced plasma (LPP) source of soft X-rays (SXR) has been developed for radiobiology research. The source is based on a double-stream gas puff target, irradiated with the focused beam of a commercial Nd:YAG laser. The source has been optimized to get a maximum photon emission from LPP in the X-ray "water window" spectral wavelength range from 2.3 nm (i.e., an absorption edge of oxygen) to 4.4 nm (i.e., an absorption edge of carbon) (280-540 eV in photon energy units) by using argon gas-puff target and spectral filtering by free-standing thin foils. The present source delivers nanosecond pulses of soft X-rays at a fluence of about 4.2 × 103 photons/μm2/pulse on a sample placed inside the vacuum chamber. In this paper, the source design, radiation output characterization measurements and initial irradiation experiments are described. The source can be useful in addressing observations related to biomolecular, cellular and organisms' sensitivity to pulsed radiation in the "water window", where carbon atoms absorb X-rays more strongly than the oxygen, mostly present in water. The combination of the SXR source and the radiobiology irradiation layout, reported in this article, make possible a systematic investigation of relationships between direct and indirect action of ionizing radiation, an increase of a local dose in carbon-rich compartments of the cell (e.g., lipid membranes), an experimental estimation of a particular role of the Auger effect (in particular in carbon atoms) in the damage to biological systems, and the study of ionization/excitation-density (LET - Linear Energy Transfer) and dose-rate effects in radiobiology.

A plasma amplifier to combine multiple beams at NIF

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kirkwood, R. K.; Turnbull, D. P.; Chapman, T.; Wilks, S. C.; Rosen, M. D.; London, R. A.; Pickworth, L. A.; Colaitis, A.; Dunlop, W. H.; Poole, P.; Moody, J. D.; Strozzi, D. J.; Michel, P. A.; Divol, L.; Landen, O. L.; MacGowan, B. J.; Van Wonterghem, B. M.; Fournier, K. B.; Blue, B. E.

2018-05-01

Combining laser beams in a plasma is enabled by seeded stimulated Brillouin scattering which allows cross-beam energy transfer (CBET) to occur and re-distributes the energy between beams that cross with different incident angles and small differences in wavelength [Kirkwood et al. Phys. Plasmas 4, 1800 (1997)]. Indirect-drive implosions at the National Ignition Facility (NIF) [Haynam et al. Appl. Opt. 46, 3276-3303 (2007)] have controlled drive symmetry by using plasma amplifiers to transfer energy between beams [Kirkwood et al., Plasma Phys. Controlled Fusion 55, 103001 (2013); Lindl et al., Phys. Plasmas 21, 020501 (2014); and Hurricane et al. Nature 506, 343-348 (2014)]. In this work, we show that the existing models are well enough validated by experiments to allow a design of a plasma beam combiner that, once optimized, is expected to produce a pulse of light in a single beam with the energy greatly enhanced over existing sources. The scheme combines up to 61 NIF beams with 120 kJ of available energy into a single f/20 beam with a 1 ns pulse duration and a 351 nm wavelength by both resonant and off-resonance CBET. Initial experiments are also described that have already succeeded in producing a 4 kJ, 1 ns pulse in a single beam by combination of up to eight incident pump beams containing <1.1 kJ/beam, which are maintained near resonance for CBET in a plasma that is formed by 60 pre-heating beams [Kirkwood et al., Nat. Phys. 14, 80 (2018)].

Multiple solutions in the theory of direct current glow discharges: Effect of plasma chemistry and nonlocality, different plasma-producing gases, and 3D modelling

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Almeida, P. G. C.; Benilov, M. S.

2013-10-15

The work is aimed at advancing the multiple steady-state solutions that have been found recently in the theory of direct current (DC) glow discharges. It is shown that an account of detailed plasma chemistry and non-locality of electron transport and kinetic coefficients results in an increase of the number of multiple solutions but does not change their pattern. Multiple solutions are shown to exist for discharges in argon and helium provided that discharge pressure is high enough. This result indicates that self-organization in DC glow microdischarges can be observed not only in xenon, which has been the case until recently,more » but also in other plasma-producing gases; a conclusion that has been confirmed by recent experiments. Existence of secondary bifurcations can explain why patterns of spots grouped in concentric rings, observed in the experiment, possess in many cases higher number of spots in outer rings than in inner ones.« less

Alfvén Waves Generated by Expanding Plasmas in the Laboratory and in Space

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gekelman, W.; Vanzeeland, M.; Vincena, S.; Pribyl, P.

2002-12-01

There are many situations, which occur in space (coronal mass ejections, supernovas), or are man-made (upper atmospheric detonations) in which a dense plasma expands into a background magnetized plasma, that can support Alfvén waves. The LArge Plasma Device (LAPD) is a machine, at UCLA, in which Alfvén waves propagation in homogeneous and inhomogeneous plasmas has been studied. These will be briefly reviewed. Then a new class of experiments which involve the expansion of a dense (initially, n/no>>1) laser-produced plasma into an ambient highly magnetized background plasma capable of supporting Alfvén waves will be presented. The 150 MW laser is pulsed at the same 1 Hz repetition rate as the plasma in a highly reproducible experiment. The laser beam impacts a solid target such that the initial plasma burst is directed either along or across the magnetic field. The interaction results in the production of intense shear and compressional Alfvén waves, as well as large density perturbations. The waves propagate away from the target and are observed to become plasma column resonances. The magnetic fields of the waves are obtained with a 3-axis inductive probe. Spatial patterns of the magnetic fields associated with the waves and density perturbations are measured at over {10}4 locations and will be shown in dramatic movies. These are used to estimate the coupling efficiency of the laser energy and kinetic energy of the dense plasma into wave energy. The wave generation mechanism is due to field aligned return currents, which replace fast electrons escaping the initial blast. Work supported by ONR, DOE, and NSF

Plasma parameters in a multidipole plasma system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ruscanu, D.; Anita, V.; Popa, G.

Plasma potential and electron number densities and electron temperatures under bi-Maxwellian approximation for electron distribution function of the multidipole argon plasma source system were measured for a gas pressure ranging between 10-4 and 10-3 mbar and an anode-cathode voltage ranging between 40 and 120 V but a constant discharge current intensity. The first group, as ultimate or cold electrons and main electron plasma population, results by trapping of the slow electrons produced by ionisation process due to primary-neutral collisions. The trapping process is produced by potential well due to positive plasma potential with respect to the anode so that electron temperature of the ultimate electrons does not depend on both the gas pressure and discharge voltage. The second group, as secondary or hot electrons, results as degrading process of the primaries and their number density increases while their temperature decreases with the increase of both the gas pressure and discharge voltage.

PLASMA DEVICE

DOEpatents

Baker, W.R.; Brathenahl, A.; Furth, H.P.

1962-04-10

A device for producing a confined high temperature plasma is described. In the device the concave inner surface of an outer annular electrode is disposed concentrically about and facing the convex outer face of an inner annular electrode across which electrodes a high potential is applied to produce an electric field there between. Means is provided to create a magnetic field perpendicular to the electric field and a gas is supplied at reduced pressure in the area therebetween. Upon application of the high potential, the gas between the electrodes is ionized, heated, and under the influence of the electric and magnetic fields there is produced a rotating annular plasma disk. The ionized plasma has high dielectric constant properties. The device is useful as a fast discharge rate capacitor, in controlled thermonuclear research, and other high temperature gas applications. (AEC)

Load Designs For MJ Dense Plasma Foci

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Link, A.; Povlius, A.; Anaya, R.; Anderson, M. G.; Angus, J. R.; Cooper, C. M.; Falabella, S.; Goerz, D.; Higginson, D.; Holod, I.; McMahon, M.; Mitrani, J.; Koh, E. S.; Pearson, A.; Podpaly, Y. A.; Prasad, R.; van Lue, D.; Watson, J.; Schmidt, A. E.

2017-10-01

Dense plasma focus (DPF) Z-pinches are compact pulse power driven devices with coaxial electrodes. The discharge of DPF consists of three distinct phases: first generation of a plasma sheath, plasma rail gun phase where the sheath is accelerated down the electrodes and finally an implosion phase where the plasma stagnates into a z-pinch geometry. During the z-pinch phase, DPFs can produce MeV ion beams, x-rays and neutrons. Megaampere class DPFs with deuterium fills have demonstrated neutron yields in the 1012 neutrons/shot range with pulse durations of 10-100 ns. Kinetic simulations using the code Chicago are being used to evaluate various load configurations from initial sheath formation to the final z-pinch phase for DPFs with up to 5 MA and 1 MJ coupled to the load. Results will be presented from the preliminary design simulations. LLNL-ABS-734785 This work performed under the auspices of the U.S. Department of Energy by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) under Contract DE-AC52-07NA27344 and with support from the Computing Grand Challenge program at LLNL.

Extremely high myoglobin plasma concentrations producing hook effect in a critically ill patient.

PubMed

Kurt-Mangold, Michelle; Drees, Denny; Krasowski, Matthew D

2012-12-24

A 21-year old female suffered a cardiac arrest after a one week history of viral illness later shown to be caused by influenza B. The patient required extended cardiopulmonary resuscitation and had further complications including compartment syndrome. Plasma myoglobin concentration was measured using the Roche Diagnostics electrochemiluminescent myoglobin assay. The myoglobin concentration was 205,590 μg/l in an undiluted specimen, consistent with severe rhabdomyolysis. Subsequent myoglobin concentrations measured two days later showed dramatic decreases to approximately 1000 μg/l, raising suspicion of a hook effect. Dilution and re-analysis of the specimens revealed that the actual myoglobin concentrations were >395,000 μg/l, with one specimen possessing an estimated myoglobin concentration of >600,000 μg/l. Interestingly, three specimens from this patient did not show evidence of hook effect, with undiluted specimens producing myoglobin concentrations as high as 284,000 μg/l. Retrospective analysis of myoglobin results over an 8-year period did not reveal other cases with suspicion of hook effect. The case patient had the highest myoglobin concentrations out of 7301 specimens. This case illustrates that while the Roche myoglobin assay has a very wide dynamic range, hook effect can occur with extremely high concentrations of plasma myoglobin. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

On the evolution of jet energy and opening angle in strongly coupled plasma

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chesler, Paul M.; Rajagopal, Krishna

2016-05-01

We calculate how the energy and the opening angle of jets in {N} = 4 SYM theory evolve as they propagate through the strongly coupled plasma of that theory. We define the rate of energy loss dE jet /dx and the jet opening angle in a straightforward fashion directly in the gauge theory before calculating both holographically, in the dual gravitational description. In this way, we rederive the previously known result for dE jet /dx without the need to introduce a finite slab of plasma. We obtain a striking relationship between the initial opening angle of the jet, which is to say the opening angle that it would have had if it had found itself in vacuum instead of in plasma, and the thermalization distance of the jet. Via this relationship, we show that {N} = 4 SYM jets with any initial energy that have the same initial opening angle and the same trajectory through the plasma experience the same fractional energy loss. We also provide an expansion that describes how the opening angle of the {N} = 4 SYM jets increases slowly as they lose energy, over the fraction of their lifetime when their fractional energy loss is not yet large. We close by looking ahead toward potential qualitative lessons from our results for QCD jets produced in heavy collisions and propagating through quark-gluon plasma.

Apparatus for recording emissions from a rapidly generated plasma from a single plasma producing event

DOEpatents

Tan, Tai Ho; Williams, Arthur H.

1985-01-01

An optical fiber-coupled detector visible streak camera plasma diagnostic apparatus. Arrays of optical fiber-coupled detectors are placed on the film plane of several types of particle, x-ray and visible spectrometers or directly in the path of the emissions to be measured and the output is imaged by a visible streak camera. Time and spatial dependence of the emission from plasmas generated from a single pulse of electromagnetic radiation or from a single particle beam burst can be recorded.

Apparatus for recording emissions from a rapidly generated plasma from a single plasma producing event

DOEpatents

Tan, T.H.; Williams, A.H.

An optical fiber-coupled detector visible streak camera plasma diagnostic apparatus. Arrays of optical fiber-coupled detectors are placed on the film plane of several types of particle, x-ray and visible spectrometers or directly in the path of the emissions to be measured and the output is imaged by a visible streak camera. Time and spatial dependence of the emission from plasma generated from a single pulse of electromagnetic radiation or from a single particle beam burst can be recorded.

Experimental demonstration of plasma startup by coaxial helicity injection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Raman, R.; Jarboe, T. R.; Nelson, B. A.; Hamp, W. T.; Izzo, V. A.; O'Neill, R. G.; Redd, A. J.; Sieck, P. E.; Smith, R. J.

2004-05-01

Experimental results on the transfer of a coaxial-helicity-injection (CHI) produced discharge to inductive operation are reported. CHI assisted plasma startup is more robust than inductive only operation and reduces volt-seconds consumption. After handoff to inductive operation, the initial 100 kA of CHI produced current drops to 50 kA, then ramps up to 180 kA, using only 30 mVs, about 40% higher than that produced by induction alone. Results show that initiation of CHI discharges at lower densities produce higher levels of coupling current. Coupling a CHI produced discharge to induction from a precharged central solenoid has produced record currents of 290 kA using only 52 mWb of central solenoid flux. CHI discharges can also be generated while the central transformer is in the process of being precharged, during which period it induces a negative loop voltage on the CHI discharge. These significant results were obtained on the Helicity Injected Torus-II (HIT-II) [T.R. Jarboe, Fusion Technol. 15, 7 (1989)] spherical torus experiment (major/minor radius of 0.3/0.2 m and elongation of 1.5).

Single- and double-core-hole ion emission spectroscopy of transient neon plasmas produced by ultraintense x-ray laser pulses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gao, Cheng; Zeng, Jiaolong; Yuan, Jianmin

2016-02-01

Single-core-hole (SCH) and double-core-hole (DCH) spectroscopy is investigated systematically for neon gas in the interaction with ultraintense x-ray pulses with photon energy from 937 eV to 2000 eV. A time-dependent rate equation, implemented in detailed level accounting approximation, is utilized to study the dynamical evolution of the level population and emission properties of the laser-produced highly transient plasmas. The plasma-density effects on level populations and charge-state distribution are demonstrated with an x-ray photon energy of 2000 eV. It is shown that atomic number density of relevant experiment is about 1 × 1018 cm-3, which is comparable to a recent experiment. At this density, we systematically investigate the emissivity of the transient neon plasmas. For laser photon energy in the range 937-1360 eV, resonant absorptions (RA) of 1s\\to {np} (n≥slant 2) transitions play important roles in time evolution of the population and DCH emission spectroscopy. The RA effects are illustrated in detail for an x-ray pulse of 944 eV photon energy, which creates the 1s\\to 2p RA from the SCH states (1s2{s}22{p}4, 1s2s2p5, and 1s2p6) of Ne3+. After averaging over the space and time distribution of x-ray pulse, DCH emission spectroscopy is studied at x-ray photon energies of 937, 944, 955, 968, 980, and 990 eV, where there exist 1s\\to 2p resonances from SCH states of Ne2+-Ne7+. The processes with producing DCH states are discussed. For x-ray photon energy larger than 1360 eV, no RA exist and transient plasmas show different features in the DCH spectroscopy.

Plasma-panel based detectors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Friedman, Peter

2017-09-01

The plasma panel sensor (PPS) is a novel micropattern gas detector inspired by plasma display panels (PDPs), the core component of plasma-TVs. A PDP comprises millions of discrete cells per square meter, each of which, when provided with a signal pulse, can initiate and sustain a plasma discharge. Configured as a detector, a pixel or cell is biased to discharge when a free-electron is generated in the gas. The PPS consists of an array of small plasma discharge pixels, and can be configured to have either an ``open-cell'' or ``closed-cell'' structure, operating with high gain in the Geiger region. We describe both configurations and their application to particle physics. The open-cell PPS lends itself to ultra-low-mass, ultrathin structures, whereas the closed-cell microhexcavity PPS is capable of higher performance. For the ultrathin-PPS, we are fabricating 3-inch devices based on two types of extremely thin, inorganic, transparent, substrate materials: one being 8-10 µm thick, and the other 25-27 µm thick. These gas-filled ultrathin devices are designed to operate in a beam-line vacuum environment, yet must be hermetically-sealed and gas-filled in an ambient environment at atmospheric pressure. We have successfully fabricated high resolution, submillimeter pixel electrodes on both types of ultrathin substrates. We will also report on the fabrication, staging and operation of the first microhexcavity detectors (µH-PPS). The first µH-PPS prototype devices have a 16 by 16 matrix of closed packed hexagon pixels, each having a 2 mm width. Initial tests of these detectors, conducted with Ne based gases at atmospheric pressure, indicate that each pixel responds independent of its neighboring cells, producing volt level pulse amplitudes in response to ionizing radiation. Results will include the hit rate response to a radioactive beta source, cosmic ray muons, the background from spontaneous discharge, pixel isolation and uniformity, and efficiency measurements. This

Aspartame and sucrose produce a similar increase in the plasma phenylalanine to large neutral amino acid ratio in healthy subjects.

PubMed

Burns, T S; Stargel, W W; Tschanz, C; Kotsonis, F N; Hurwitz, A

1991-01-01

Aspartame (L-aspartyl-L-phenylalanine methyl ester) consumption has been postulated to increase brain phenylalanine levels by increasing the molar ratio of the plasma phenylalanine concentration to the sum of the plasma concentrations of the other large neutral amino acids (Phe/LNAA). Dietary manipulations with carbohydrate or protein can also produce changes in the Phe/LNAA value. To compare the effects of aspartame and carbohydrate on Phe/LNAA, beverages sweetened with aspartame, sucrose, and aspartame plus sucrose, and unsweetened beverage were ingested by 8 healthy, fasted subjects in a randomized, four-way crossover design. The beverages were sweetened with an amount of aspartame (500 mg) and/or sucrose (100 g) approximately equivalent to that used to sweeten 1 liter of soft drink. The baseline-corrected plasma Phe/LNAA values did not differ significantly following ingestion of aspartame or sucrose. Following aspartame alone, the high mean ratio increased 26% over baseline 1 h after ingestion. Following sucrose alone, the high mean ratio increased 19% at 2.5 h. Sucrose increased the Phe/LNAA value due to an insulin-mediated decrease in the plasma LNAA, while aspartame increased the ratio by increasing the plasma Phe concentration. These findings indicate that similar increases in plasma Phe/LNAA occur when healthy, fasting subjects ingest amounts of equivalent sweetness of sucrose or aspartame.

Plasma observations near jupiter: initial results from voyager 1.

PubMed

Bridge, H S; Belcher, J W; Lazarus, A J; Sullivan, J D; McNutt, R L; Bagenal, F; Scudder, J D; Sittler, E C; Siscoe, G L; Vasyliunas, V M; Goertz, C K; Yeates, C M

1979-06-01

Extensive measurements of low-energy positive ions and electrons were made throughout the Jupiter encounter of Voyager 1. The bow shock and magneto-pause were crossed several times at distances consistent with variations in the upstream solar wind pressure measured on Voyager 2. During the inbound pass, the number density increased by six orders of magnitude between the innermost magnetopause crossing at approximately 47 Jupiter radii and near closest approach at approximately 5 Jupiter radii; the plasma flow during this period was predominately in the direction of corotation. Marked increases in number density were observed twice per planetary rotation, near the magnetic equator. Jupiterward of the Io plasma torus, a cold, corotating plasma was observed and the energylcharge spectra show well-resolved, heavy-ion peaks at mass-to-charge ratios A/Z* = 8, 16, 32, and 64.

Plasma observations near Jupiter - Initial results from Voyager 1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bridge, H. S.; Belcher, J. W.; Lazarus, A. J.; Sullivan, J. D.; Mcnutt, R. L.; Bagenal, F.; Scudder, J. D.; Sittler, E. C.; Siscoe, G. L.; Vasyliunas, V. M.

1979-01-01

Extensive measurements of low-energy positive ions and electrons were made throughout the Jupiter encounter of Voyager 1. The bow shock and magnetopause were crossed several times at distances consistent with variations in the upstream solar wind pressure measured on Voyager 2. During the inbound pass, the number density increased by six orders of magnitude between the innermost magnetopause crossing at approximately 47 Jupiter radii and near closest approach at approximately 5 Jupiter radii; the plasma flow during this period was predominately in the direction of corotation. Marked increases in number density were observed twice per planetary rotation, near the magnetic equator. Jupiterward of the Io plasma torus, a cold, corotating plasma was observed and the energy/charge spectra show well-resolved, heavy-ion peaks at mass-to-charge ratios equal to 8, 16, 32, and 64.

Neutralization of beam-emitting spacecraft by plasma injection

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sasaki, S.; Kawashima, N.; Kuriki, K.; Yanagisawa, M.; Obayashi, T.; Roberts, W. T.; Reasoner, D. L.; Taylor, W. W. L.

1987-01-01

An impulsive plasma injection has been used to study charge neutralization of the Space Shuttle Orbiter while it was emitting an electron beam into space. This investigation was performed by Space Experiments with Particle Accelerators on Spacelab-1. A plasma consisting of 10 to the 19th argon ion-electron pairs was injected into space for 1 ms while an electron beam was also being emitted into space. The electron beam energy and current were as high as 5 keV and 300 mA. While the orbiter potential was positive before the plasma injection and began to decrease during the plasma injection, it was near zero for 6 to 20 ms after the plasma injection. The recovery time to the initial level of charging varied from 10 to 100 ms. In a laboratory test in a large space chamber using the same flight hardware, the neutralization time was 8-17 ms and the recovery time was 11-20 ms. The long duration of the neutralization effect in space can be explained by a model of diffusion of the cold plasma which is produced near the Orbiter by charge exchange between the neutral argon atoms and the energetic argon ions during plasma injection.

Properties of laser-produced GaAs plasmas measured from highly resolved X-ray line shapes and ratios

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Seely, J. F.; Fein, J.; Manuel, M.; Keiter, P.; Drake, P.; Kuranz, C.; Belancourt, Patrick; Ralchenko, Yu.; Hudson, L.; Feldman, U.

2018-03-01

The properties of hot, dense plasmas generated by the irradiation of GaAs targets by the Titan laser at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory were determined by the analysis of high resolution K shell spectra in the 9 keV to 11 keV range. The laser parameters, such as relatively long pulse duration and large focal spot, were chosen to produce a steady-state plasma with minimal edge gradients, and the time-integrated spectra were compared to non-LTE steady state spectrum simulations using the FLYCHK and NOMAD codes. The bulk plasma streaming velocity was measured from the energy shifts of the Ga He-like transitions and Li-like dielectronic satellites. The electron density and the electron energy distribution, both the thermal and the hot non-thermal components, were determined from the spectral line ratios. After accounting for the spectral line broadening contributions, the plasma turbulent motion was measured from the residual line widths. The ionization balance was determined from the ratios of the He-like through F-like spectral features. The detailed comparison of the experimental Ga spectrum and the spectrum simulated by the FLYCHK code indicates two significant discrepancies, the transition energy of a Li-like dielectronic satellite (designated t) and the calculated intensity of a He-like line (x), that should lead to improvements in the kinetics codes used to simulate the X-ray spectra from highly-charged ions.

Platelet-Rich Plasma for Frozen Shoulder: A Case Report.

PubMed

Aslani, Hamidreza; Nourbakhsh, Seyed Taghi; Zafarani, Zohreh; Ahmadi-Bani, Monireh; Ananloo, Mohammad Ebrahim Shahsavand; Beigy, Maani; Salehi, Shahin

2016-01-01

Frozen shoulder is a glenohumeral joint disorder that movement because of adhesion and the existence of fibrosis in the shoulder capsule. Platelet-rich plasma can produce collagen and growth factors, which increases stem cells and consequently enhances the healing. To date, there is no evidence regarding the effectiveness of platelet-rich plasma in frozen shoulder. A 45-year-old man with shoulder adhesive capsulitis volunteered for this treatment. He underwent two consecutive platelet-rich plasma injections at the seventh and eighth month after initiation of symptoms. We measured pain, function, ROM by the visual analogue scale (VAS), scores from the Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (DASH) questionnaire and goniometer; respectively. After first injection, the patient reported 60% improvement regarding diurnal shoulder pain, and no night pain. Also, two-fold improvement for ROM and more than 70% improvement for function were reported. This study suggests the use of platelet-rich plasma in frozen shoulder to be tested in randomized trials.

Design of a Microwave Assisted Discharge Inductive Plasma Accelerator

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hallock, Ashley K.; Polzin, Kurt A.

2010-01-01

A new plasma accelerator concept that employs electrodeless plasma preionization and pulsed inductive acceleration is presented. Preionization is achieved through an electron cyclotron resonance discharge that produces a weakly-ionized plasma at the face of a conical theta pinch-shaped inductive coil. The presence of the preionized plasma allows for current sheet formation at lower discharge voltages than those found in other pulsed inductive accelerators. The location of an electron cyclotron resonance discharge can be controlled through the design of the applied magnetic field in the thruster. A finite-element model of the magnetic field was used as a design tool, allowing for the implementation of an arrangement of permanent magnets that yields a small volume of preionized propellant at the coil face. This allows for current sheet formation at the face of the inductive coil, minimizing the initial inductance of the pulse circuit and maximizing the potential efficiency of the new accelerator.

The spatial evolution of energetic electrons and plasma waves during the steady state beam plasma discharge

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Llobet, X.; Bernstein, W.; Kondradi, A.

1985-01-01

Experiments, involving the injection of energetic (keV) electron beams into the ionosphere-upper atmosphere system from rocket-borne electron guns, have provided evidence for the occurrence of strong beam-plasma interactions (BPI) both near to and remote from the injection point. However, the flight experiments have not provided clear and unambiguous evidence for the basic physical processes which produce the variety of confusing signatures. A laboratory experimental program was initiated to clarify some of a number of ambiguities regarding the obtained results. The present investigation is concerned with some experimental studies of the evolution of both the beam energy spectrum and the local wave amplitude-frequency spectrum at increasing axial distances from the electron gun for a variety of experimental conditions. The results of the studies show that the high frequency beam-plasma interaction represents the most important process.

Planar controlled zone microwave plasma system

DOEpatents

Ripley, Edward B [Knoxville, TN; Seals, Roland D [Oak Ridge, TN; Morrell, Jonathan S [Knoxvlle, TN

2011-10-04

An apparatus and method for initiating a process gas plasma. A conductive plate having a plurality of conductive fingers is positioned in a microwave applicator. An arc forms between the conductive fingers to initiate the formation of a plasma. A transport mechanism may convey process materials through the plasma. A spray port may be provided to expel processed materials.

Implementation of STUD Pulses at the Trident Laser and Initial Results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Johnson, R. P.; Shimada, T.; Montgomery, D. S.; Afeyan, B.; Hüller, S.

2012-10-01

Controlling and mitigating laser-plasma instabilities such as stimulated Brillouin scattering, stimulated Raman scattering, and crossed-beam energy transfer is important to achieve high-gain inertial fusion using laser drivers. Recent theory and simulations show that these instabilities can be largely controlled using laser pulses consisting of spike trains of uneven duration and delay (STUD) by modulating the laser on a picosecond time scale [1,2]. We have designed and implemented a STUD pulse generator at the LANL Trident Laser Facility using Fourier synthesis to produce a 0.5-ns envelope of psec-duration STUD pulses using a spatial light modulator. Initial results from laser propagation tests and measurements as well as initial laser-plasma characterization experiments will be presented.[4pt] [1] B. Afeyan and S. H"uller, ``Optimal Control of Laser Plasma Instabilities using STUD pulses,'' IFSA 2011, P.Mo.1, to appear in Euro. Phys. J. Web of Conf. (2012).[2] S. H"uller and B. Afeyan, ``Simulations of drastically reduced SBS with STUD pulses,'' IFSA 2011, O.Tu8-1, to appear in Euro. Phys. J. Web of Conf. (2012).

Optical diagnostics of laser-produced aluminium plasmas under water

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Walsh, N.; Costello, J. T.; Kelly, T. J.

2017-06-01

We report on the findings of double-pulse studies performed on an aluminium target submerged in water using Nd:YAG laser pulses. Shadowgraphy measurements were performed to examine the dynamic behaviour of the cavitation bubble that eventually forms some considerable time post-plasma ignition. These measurements were used to inform subsequent investigations designed to probe the bubble environment. The results of time-resolved imaging from within the cavitation bubble following irradiation by a second laser pulse reveal the full dynamic evolution of a plasma formed in such an environment. Rapid displacement of the plasma plume in a direction normal to the target surface followed by a diffusive outwards expansion is observed and a qualitative model is proposed to explain the observed behaviour. Line profiles of several ionic and atomic species were observed within the irradiated cavitation bubble. Electron densities were determined using the Stark broadening of the Al II line at 466.3 nm and electron temperatures inferred using the ratio of the Al II (466.3 nm) and Al I (396.15 nm) lines. Evidence of self-reversal of neutral emission lines was observed at times corresponding to growth and collapse phases of the cavitation bubble suggesting high population density for ground state atoms during these times.

Plasma waves near Saturn: initial results from Voyager 1. Progress report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gurnett, D.A.; Kurth, W.S.; Scarf, F.L.

1981-01-31

The Voyager 1 plasma wave instrument detected many familiar types of plasma waves during the encounter with Saturn, including ion-acoustic waves and electron plasma oscillations upstream of the bow shock, an intense burst of electrostatic noise at the shock, and chorus, hiss, electrostatic (n + 1/2)fg waves and UHR emissions in the inner magnetosphere. A clock-like Saturn rotational control of low-frequency radio emissions was observed, and evidence was obtained of possible control by the moon Dione. Strong plasma wave emissions were detected at the Titan encounter indicating the presence of a turbulent sheath extending around Titan, and UHR measurements ofmore » the electron density show the existence of a dense plume of plasma being carried downstream of Titan by the interaction with the rapidly rotating magnetosphere of Saturn.« less

Economical impact of plasma fractionation project in Iran on affordability of plasma-derived medicines.

PubMed

Cheraghali, A M; Aboofazeli, R

2009-12-01

In Iran all transfusion services are concentrated under authority of one public and centralized transfusion organization which has created the opportunity of using plasma produced in its blood centers for fractionation. In 2008 voluntary and non remunerated Iranian donors donated 1.8 million units of blood. This indicates a 25/1000 donation index. After responding to the needs for fresh plasma and cryoprecipitate each year about 150000 L of recovered plasma are reserved for fractionation. In an attempt to improve both blood safety profile and availability and affordability of plasma derived medicines, Iran's national transfusion service has entered into a contract fractionation agreement for surplus of plasma produced from donated blood by voluntary non remunerated donors. In order to ensure safety of product produced, Iran has chosen to collaborate with international fractionators based in highly regulated countries. The main objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of contract plasma fractionation on the affordability of the plasma derived medicines in Iran. During 2006-2008, Iran's contract fractionation project was able to produce 46%, 18% and 6% of IVIG, Albumin and FVIII consumed in Iran's market, respectively. In contrary to IVIG and Albumin, due to fairly high consumption of FVIII in Iran, the role of fractionation project in meeting the needs to FVIII was not substantial. However, Iran's experience has shown that contract plasma fractionation, through direct and indirect effects on price of plasma derived medicines, could substantially improve availability and affordability of such products in national health care system.

Method for producing metallic nanoparticles

DOEpatents

Phillips, Jonathan; Perry, William L.; Kroenke, William J.

2004-02-10

Method for producing metallic nanoparticles. The method includes generating an aerosol of solid metallic microparticles, generating non-oxidizing plasma with a plasma hot zone at a temperature sufficiently high to vaporize the microparticles into metal vapor, and directing the aerosol into the hot zone of the plasma. The microparticles vaporize in the hot zone to metal vapor. The metal vapor is directed away from the hot zone and to the plasma afterglow where it cools and condenses to form solid metallic nanoparticles.

Process Performances of 2 ns Pulsed Discharge Plasma

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Matsumoto, Takao; Wang, Douyan; Namihira, Takao; Akiyama, Hidenori

2011-08-01

Pulsed discharge plasmas have been used to treat exhaust gases. Since pulse duration and the rise time of applied voltage to the discharge electrode has a strong influence on the energy efficiency of pollutant removal, the development of a short-pulse generator is of paramount importance for practical applications. In this work, it is demonstrated that the non thermal plasma produced by the 2 ns pulsed discharge has a higher energy efficiency than the 5 ns pulsed discharge plasma for NO removal and ozone generation. Typically, the NO removal efficiency was 1.0 mol kW-1 h-1 for 70% NO removal (initial NO concentration = 200 ppm, gas flow = 10 L/min). Meanwhile, the ozone yield was 500 g kW-1 h-1 for 20 g/m3 ozone concentration in the case of oxygen feeding. These energy efficiencies are the highest in the literature.

Performance summary on a high power dense plasma focus x-ray lithography point source producing 70 nm line features in AlGaAs microcircuits

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Petr, Rodney; Bykanov, Alexander; Freshman, Jay; Reilly, Dennis; Mangano, Joseph; Roche, Maureen; Dickenson, Jason; Burte, Mitchell; Heaton, John

2004-08-01

A high average power dense plasma focus (DPF), x-ray point source has been used to produce ˜70 nm line features in AlGaAs-based monolithic millimeter-wave integrated circuits (MMICs). The DPF source has produced up to 12 J per pulse of x-ray energy into 4π steradians at ˜1 keV effective wavelength in ˜2 Torr neon at pulse repetition rates up to 60 Hz, with an effective x-ray yield efficiency of ˜0.8%. Plasma temperature and electron concentration are estimated from the x-ray spectrum to be ˜170 eV and ˜5.1019 cm-3, respectively. The x-ray point source utilizes solid-state pulse power technology to extend the operating lifetime of electrodes and insulators in the DPF discharge. By eliminating current reversals in the DPF head, an anode electrode has demonstrated a lifetime of more than 5 million shots. The x-ray point source has also been operated continuously for 8 h run times at 27 Hz average pulse recurrent frequency. Measurements of shock waves produced by the plasma discharge indicate that overpressure pulses must be attenuated before a collimator can be integrated with the DPF point source.

Plasma Processing of Metallic and Semiconductor Thin Films in the Fisk Plasma Source

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lampkin, Gregory; Thomas, Edward, Jr.; Watson, Michael; Wallace, Kent; Chen, Henry; Burger, Arnold

1998-01-01

The use of plasmas to process materials has become widespread throughout the semiconductor industry. Plasmas are used to modify the morphology and chemistry of surfaces. We report on initial plasma processing experiments using the Fisk Plasma Source. Metallic and semiconductor thin films deposited on a silicon substrate have been exposed to argon plasmas. Results of microscopy and chemical analyses of processed materials are presented.

Energy deposition into heavy gas plasma via pulsed inductive theta-pinch

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pahl, Ryan Alan

The objective of this research is to study the formation processes of a pulsed inductive plasma using heavy gases, specifically the coupling of stored capacitive energy into plasma via formation in a theta pinch coil. To aid in this research, the Missouri Plasmoid Experiment Mk. I (and later Mk. II) was created. In the first paper, the construction of differential magnetic field probes are discussed. The effects of calibration setup on B-dot probes is studied using a Helmholtz coil driven by a vector network analyzer and a pulsed-power system. Calibration in a pulsed-power environment yielded calibration factors at least 9.7% less than the vector network analyzer. In the second paper, energy deposition into various gases using a pulsed inductive test article is investigated. Experimental data are combined with a series RLC model to quantify the energy loss associated with plasma formation in Argon, Hydrogen, and Xenon at pressures from 10-100 mTorr. Plasma resistance is found to vary from 25.8-51.6 mΩ and plasma inductance varies from 41.3--47.0 nH. The greatest amount of initial capacitively stored energy that could be transferred to the plasma was 6.4 J (8.1%) of the initial 79.2 +/- 0.1 J. In the third paper, the effects of a DC preionization source on plasma formation energy is studied. The preionization source radial location is found to have negligible impact on plasma formation repeatability while voltage is found to be critical at low pressures. Without preionization, plasma formation was not possible. At 20 mTorr, 0.20 W of power was sufficient to stabilize plasma formation about the first zero-crossing of the discharge current. Increasing power to 1.49 W increased inductively coupled energy by 39%. At 200 mTorr, 4.3 mW was sufficient to produce repeatable plasma properties.

Retrospective Evaluation of the Short-Term Sustainability of the Locally Grown Produce Initiative of the Hunger Prevention and Nutrition Assistance Program in New York State.

PubMed

Allsopp, Marie A K; Hosler, Akiko S

2018-03-27

The Hunger Prevention and Nutrition Assistance Program (HPNAP) is a New York State Department of Health program. The HPNAP improves nutritional quality of food available at food banks, food pantries, soup kitchens, and emergency shelters through contractual relationships to fund the purchase, delivery, storage, and service of nutritious food. To determine whether a one-time fiscal stimulus of the Locally Grown Produce Initiative to HPNAP contractors in 2012-2013 would result in a short-term sustainable increase in the proportion of dollars spent on New York State Grown (NYSG) produce. Quasi-experimental, nonequivalent control group design. We analyzed New York State Department of Health administrative data regarding expenditures on all produce and NYSG produce by HPNAP contractors. New York State. The proportion of dollars spent on NYSG produce during 2011-2012 (preintervention) and 2013-2014 (postintervention) was compared between HPNAP food bank contractors (recipients of stimulus money, n = 8) and non-food bank contractors (nonrecipients, n = 34) using nonparametric methods. The HPNAP Locally Grown Produce Initiative was associated with an increased proportion of NYSG produce spending by food bank contractors that received a fiscal stimulus 1 year later. Upstate food banks had the largest increase (median 31.6%) among all HPNAP contractors. The results of this study revealed that the Locally Grown Produce Initiative fiscal stimulus had a positive, year-long and statewide effect on the proportion of expenditure on NYSG produce by food banks. We hope that the initial success seen in New York State may encourage other states to adopt similar initiatives in future.

Analysis of laser produced plasmas of gold in the 1-7 nm region

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Bowen; Higashiguchi, Takeshi; Otsuka, Takamitsu; Yugami, Noboru; Dunne, Padraig; Kilbane, Deirdre; Sokell, Emma; O'Sullivan, Gerry

2014-04-01

Extreme ultraviolet (EUV) spectra from gold laser produced plasmas were recorded in the 1-7 nm region using two Nd:YAG lasers with pulse lengths of 150 ps and 10 ns, respectively, operating at a range of power densities. The maximum focused peak power density was 9.5 × 1013 W cm-2 for the former and 5.3 × 1012 W cm-2 for the latter. Two intense quasicontinuous intensity bands resulting from n = 4-n = 4 and n = 4-n = 5 unresolved transition arrays dominate the 4-5.5 and 1.5-3.6 nm regions of both spectra. Comparison with atomic structure calculations performed with the Cowan suite of atomic structure codes as well as consideration of previous experimental and theoretical results aided identification of the most prominent features in the spectra. For the ns spectrum, the highest ion stage that could be identified from the n = 4-n = 5 arrays was Au28+ while for the ps plasma the presence of significantly higher stages was deduced and lines due to 4d104f-4d94f2 transitions in Ag-like Au32+ give rise to the strongest observed features within the n = 4-n = 4 array while in the n = 4-n = 5 array it was possible to identify a number of previously unidentified spectral features as resulting from 4f-5g transitions in the spectra of Au XX to Au XXXIII.

Reduction in Operating Room Plasma Waste After Evidence-Based Quality Improvement Initiative.

PubMed

Meyer, Matthew J; Dzik, Walter H; Levine, Wilton C

2018-05-01

Anesthesiologists request units of plasma in anticipation of transfusion. The amount of plasma transfused intraoperatively is less than that issued (requested, thawed, and sent). We presented institutional-specific data on plasma usage including anesthesiologist-specific ratios of plasma issued-to-transfused. In month-to-month comparisons from the year before the presentation (June-December 2015) to 7 months after (June-December 2016), plasma issued to the operating room was reduced from 434.9 ± 81 to 327.3 ± 65 units, a change of 107.6 units per month (95% confidence interval [CI], 22-193); plasma discarded by the blood bank was reduced from 109.7 ± 48 units to 69.1 ± 9 units, a change of 40.6 units per month (95% CI, 0.2-81); and plasma transfused went from 188.4 ± 42 units to 160.7 ± 52 units, a nonsignificant change of 27.7 units per month (95% CI, -27 to 83).

On the evolution of jet energy and opening angle in strongly coupled plasma

DOE PAGES

Chesler, Paul M.; Rajagopal, Krishna

2016-05-17

We calculate how the energy and the opening angle of jets in N = 4SYM theory evolve as they propagate through the strongly coupled plasma of that theory. We define the rate of energy loss dE jet/dx and the jet opening angle in a straightforward fashion directly in the gauge theory before calculating both holographically, in the dual gravitational description. In this way, we rederive the previously known result for dE jet/dx without the need to introduce a finite slab of plasma. We obtain a striking relationship between the initial opening angle of the jet, which is to say themore » opening angle that it would have had if it had found itself in vacuum instead of in plasma, and the thermalization distance of the jet. Via this relationship, we show that N = 4SYM jets with any initial energy that have the same initial opening angle and the same trajectory through the plasma experience the same fractional energy loss. We also provide an expansion that describes how the opening angle of the N = 4SYM jets increases slowly as they lose energy, over the fraction of their lifetime when their fractional energy loss is not yet large. In conclusion, we close by looking ahead toward potential qualitative lessons from our results for QCD jets produced in heavy collisions and propagating through quark-gluon plasma.« less

Experimental observation of self excited co-rotating multiple vortices in a dusty plasma with inhomogeneous plasma background

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Choudhary, Mangilal; Mukherjee, S.; Bandyopadhyay, P.

2017-03-01

We report an experimental observation of multiple co-rotating vortices in an extended dust column in the background of an inhomogeneous diffused plasma. An inductively coupled rf discharge is initiated in the background of argon gas in the source region. This plasma was later found to diffuse into the main experimental chamber. A secondary DC glow discharge plasma is produced to introduce dust particles into the plasma volume. These micron-sized poly-disperse dust particles get charged in the background of the DC plasma and are transported by the ambipolar electric field of the diffused plasma. These transported particles are found to be confined in an electrostatic potential well, where the resultant electric field due to the diffused plasma (ambipolar E-field) and glass wall charging (sheath E-field) holds the micron-sized particles against the gravity. Multiple co-rotating (anti-clockwise) dust vortices are observed in the dust cloud for a particular discharge condition. The transition from multiple vortices to a single dust vortex is observed when input rf power is lowered. The occurrence of these vortices is explained on the basis of the charge gradient of dust particles, which is orthogonal to the ion drag force. The charge gradient is a consequence of the plasma inhomogeneity along the dust cloud length. The detailed nature and the reason for multiple vortices are still under investigation through further experiments; however, preliminary qualitative understanding is discussed based on the characteristic scale length of the dust vortex. There is a characteristic size of the vortex in the dusty plasma; therefore, multiple vortices could possibly be formed in an extended dusty plasma with inhomogeneous plasma background. The experimental results on the vortex motion of particles are compared with a theoretical model and are found to be in close agreement.

Experimental observation of left polarized wave absorption near electron cyclotron resonance frequency in helicon antenna produced plasma

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Barada, Kshitish K.; Chattopadhyay, P. K.; Ghosh, J.

2013-01-15

Asymmetry in density peaks on either side of an m = +1 half helical antenna is observed both in terms of peak position and its magnitude with respect to magnetic field variation in a linear helicon plasma device [Barada et al., Rev. Sci. Instrum. 83, 063501 (2012)]. The plasma is produced by powering the m = +1 half helical antenna with a 2.5 kW, 13.56 MHz radio frequency source. During low magnetic field (B < 100 G) operation, plasma density peaks are observed at critical magnetic fields on either side of the antenna. However, the density peaks occurred at differentmore » critical magnetic fields on both sides of antenna. Depending upon the direction of the magnetic field, in the m = +1 propagation side, the main density peak has been observed around 30 G of magnetic field. On this side, the density peak around 5 G corresponding to electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) is not very pronounced, whereas in the m = -1 propagation side, very pronounced ECR peak has been observed around 5 G. Another prominent density peak around 12 G has also been observed in m = -1 side. However, no peak has been observed around 30 G on this m = -1 side. This asymmetry in the results on both sides is explained on the basis of polarization reversal of left hand polarized waves to right hand polarized waves and vice versa in a bounded plasma system. The density peaking phenomena are likely to be caused by obliquely propagating helicon waves at the resonance cone boundary.« less

Plasma synthesis and HPHT consolidation of BN nanoparticles, nanospheres, and nanotubes to produce nanocrystalline cubic boron nitride

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stout, Christopher

Plasma methods offer a variety of advantages to nanomaterials synthesis. The process is robust, allowing varying particle sizes and phases to be generated simply by modifying key parameters. The work here demonstrates a novel approach to nanopowder synthesis using inductively-coupled plasma to decompose precursor, which are then quenched to produce a variety of boron nitride (BN)-phase nanoparticles, including cubic phase, along with short-range-order nanospheres (e.g., nano-onions) and BN nanotubes. Cubic BN (c-BN) powders can be generated through direct deposition onto a chilled substrate. The extremely-high pyrolysis temperatures afforded by the equilibrium plasma offer a unique particle growth environment, accommodating long deposition times while exposing resulting powders to temperatures in excess of 5000K without any additional particle nucleation and growth. Such conditions can yield short-range ordered amorphous BN structures in the form of 20nm diameter nanospheres. Finally, when introducing a rapid-quenching counter-flow gas against the plasma jet, high aspect ratio nanotubes are synthesized, which are collected on substrate situated radially. The benefits of these morphologies are also evident in high-pressure/high-temperature consolidation experiments, where nanoparticle phases can offer a favorable conversion route to super-hard c-BN while maintaining nanocrystallinity. Experiments using these morphologies are shown to begin to yield c-BN conversion at conditions as low as 2.0 GPa and 1500°C when using micron sized c-BN seeding to create localized regions of high pressures due to Hertzian forces acting on the nanoparticles.

Plasma nanotexturing of silicon surfaces for photovoltaics applications: influence of initial surface finish on the evolution of topographical and optical properties

PubMed Central

FISCHER, GUILLAUME; DRAHI, ETIENNE; FOLDYNA, MARTIN; GERMER, THOMAS A.; JOHNSON, ERIK V.

2018-01-01

Using a plasma to generate a surface texture with feature sizes on the order of tens to hundreds of nanometers (“nanotexturing”) is a promising technique being considered to improve efficiency in thin, high-efficiency crystalline silicon solar cells. This study investigates the evolution of the optical properties of silicon samples with various initial surface finishes (from mirror polish to various states of micron-scale roughness) during a plasma nanotexturing process. It is shown that during said process, the appearance and growth of nanocone-like structures are essentially independent of the initial surface finish, as quantified by the auto-correlation function of the surface morphology. During the first stage of the process (2 min to 15 min etching), the reflectance and light-trapping abilities of the nanotextured surfaces are strongly influenced by the initial surface roughness; however, the differences tend to diminish as the nanostructures become larger. For the longest etching times (15 min or more), the effective reflectance is less than 5 % and a strong anisotropic scattering behavior is also observed for all samples, leading to very elevated levels of light-trapping. PMID:29220984

Plasma generating apparatus for large area plasma processing

DOEpatents

Tsai, C.C.; Gorbatkin, S.M.; Berry, L.A.

1991-07-16

A plasma generating apparatus for plasma processing applications is based on a permanent magnet line-cusp plasma confinement chamber coupled to a compact single-coil microwave waveguide launcher. The device creates an electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) plasma in the launcher and a second ECR plasma is created in the line cusps due to a 0.0875 tesla magnetic field in that region. Additional special magnetic field configuring reduces the magnetic field at the substrate to below 0.001 tesla. The resulting plasma source is capable of producing large-area (20-cm diam), highly uniform (.+-.5%) ion beams with current densities above 5 mA/cm[sup 2]. The source has been used to etch photoresist on 5-inch diam silicon wafers with good uniformity. 3 figures.

Plasma generating apparatus for large area plasma processing

DOEpatents

Tsai, Chin-Chi; Gorbatkin, Steven M.; Berry, Lee A.

1991-01-01

A plasma generating apparatus for plasma processing applications is based on a permanent magnet line-cusp plasma confinement chamber coupled to a compact single-coil microwave waveguide launcher. The device creates an electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) plasma in the launcher and a second ECR plasma is created in the line cusps due to a 0.0875 tesla magnetic field in that region. Additional special magnetic field configuring reduces the magnetic field at the substrate to below 0.001 tesla. The resulting plasma source is capable of producing large-area (20-cm diam), highly uniform (.+-.5%) ion beams with current densities above 5 mA/cm.sup.2. The source has been used to etch photoresist on 5-inch diam silicon wafers with good uniformity.

Electron Beam Transport in Advanced Plasma Wave Accelerators

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Williams, Ronald L

2013-01-31

The primary goal of this grant was to develop a diagnostic for relativistic plasma wave accelerators based on injecting a low energy electron beam (5-50keV) perpendicular to the plasma wave and observing the distortion of the electron beam's cross section due to the plasma wave's electrostatic fields. The amount of distortion would be proportional to the plasma wave amplitude, and is the basis for the diagnostic. The beat-wave scheme for producing plasma waves, using two CO2 laser beam, was modeled using a leap-frog integration scheme to solve the equations of motion. Single electron trajectories and corresponding phase space diagrams weremore » generated in order to study and understand the details of the interaction dynamics. The electron beam was simulated by combining thousands of single electrons, whose initial positions and momenta were selected by random number generators. The model was extended by including the interactions of the electrons with the CO2 laser fields of the beat wave, superimposed with the plasma wave fields. The results of the model were used to guide the design and construction of a small laboratory experiment that may be used to test the diagnostic idea.« less

Role of ion magnetization in formation of radial density profile in magnetically expanding plasma produced by helicon antenna

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yadav, Sonu; Ghosh, Soumen; Bose, Sayak; Barada, Kshitish K.; Pal, Rabindranath; Chattopadhyay, Prabal K.

2018-04-01

Experimentally, the density profile in the magnetic nozzle of a helicon antenna based plasma device is seen to be modified from being centrally peaked to that of hollow nature as the external magnetic field is increased. It occurs above a characteristic field value when the ions become magnetized in the expansion chamber. The density profile in the source chamber behind the nozzle, however, remains peaked on-axis irrespective of the magnetic field. The electron temperature there is observed to be hollow and this nature is carried to the expansion chamber along the field line. In the electron energy distribution near the off axis peak location, a high energy tail exists. Rotation of these tail electrons in the azimuthal direction due to the gradient-B drift in the expansion chamber leads to an additional off-axis ionization and forms the hollow density profile. It seems that if the ions are not magnetized, then the off-axially produced additional plasma is not confined and the density profile retains the on-axis peak nature. The present experiment successfully demonstrates how the knowledge of the ion magnetization together with tail electrons significantly contributes to the design of an efficient helicon plasma based thruster.

Characterisation of an Exploding Foil Initiator (EFI) system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Davies, H. R.; Chapman, D. J.; Vine, T. A.; Proud, W. G.

2009-06-01

Exploding Foil Initiators (EFIs) provide a safe and reliable means of detonation of explosives. They are highly insensitive to mechanical shock and electrical interference, requiring a specific high current pulse for initiation. The use of only insensitive secondary explosives and not more sensitive primary explosives further improves safety. When a high current is passed through the metal bridge, a plasma is formed as the metal can not expand beyond the polymer film layer above. This causes the film to expand forming a bubble or shearing off to form a flyer. These flyers can then be used to initiate secondary explosives. Due to the very high speed at which these systems operate, high speed streak photography was used to characterise the behaviour of the polymer film flyers produced. This paper will report the preliminary findings on the mechanical, electrical and velocity changes seen in some proprietary systems.

Single particle dynamics in a radio-frequency produced plasma sheath

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rubin-Zuzic, M.; Nosenko, V.; Zhdanov, S.; Ivlev, A.; Thomas, H.; Khrapak, S.; Couedel, L.

2018-01-01

Recently different research groups have investigated the motion of a single dust particle levitated in a rf plasma. Here we describe a highly resolved experiment where a single spherical melamine formaldehyde microparticle is suspended in the plasma sheath above the lower electrode of a capacitively coupled radio-frequency discharge at controlled pressure, power and neutral gas flow rate. The particle's horizontal oscillation is investigated, from which its neutral gas damping rate, kinetic temperature and eigenfrequency of the potential trap are measured. Compared to prior experiments we report about inhomogeneous and anisotropic velocity variations.

Implementation of an intraoperative blood transport and storage initiative and its effect on reducing red blood cell and plasma waste.

PubMed

Brown, Michael J; Button, Lisa M; Badjie, Karafa S; Guyer, Jean M; Dhanorker, Sarah R; Brach, Erin J; Johnson, Pamela M; Stubbs, James R

2014-03-01

The national waste rate for hospital-issued blood products ranges from 0% to 6%, with operating room-responsible waste representing up to 70% of total hospital waste. A common reason for blood product waste is inadequate intraoperative storage. Our transfusion service database was used to quantify and categorize red blood cell (RBC) and fresh-frozen plasma (FFP) units issued for intraoperative transfusion that were wasted over a 27-month period. Two cohorts were created: 1) before implementation of a blood transport and storage initiative (BTSI)-RBC and plasma waste January 1, 2011-May 31, 2012; 2) after implementation of BTSI-RBC and plasma waste June 1, 2012, to March 31, 2013. The BTSI replaced existing storage coolers (8-hr coolant life span with temperature range of 1-10°C) with a cooler that had a coolant life span of 18 hours and a temperature range of 1 to 6°C and included an improved educational cooler placard and an alert mechanism in the electronic health record. Monthly median RBC and plasma waste and its associated cost were the primary outcomes. An intraoperative BTSI significantly reduced median monthly RBC (1.3% vs. 0.07%) and FFP (0.4% vs. 0%) waste and its associated institutional cost. The majority of blood product waste was due to an unacceptable temperature of unused returned blood products. An intraoperative BTSI significantly reduced median monthly RBC and FFP waste. The cost to implement this initiative was small, resulting in a significant estimated return on investment that may be reproducible in institutions other than ours. © 2013 American Association of Blood Banks.

Controlling multiple plasma channels created by a high-power femtosecond laser pulse

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kosareva, O. G.; Luo, Q.

2005-10-01

Femtosecond light filaments are comparatively long regions of the spatially and temporally localized radiation zones, which generate free electrons in the medium. At high pulse peak power multiple filaments are produced leading to stochastic plasma channels (Mlejnek et al.: PRL 83, 2938 (1999)). In both atmospheric long-distance propagation (Sprangle et al., PRE 66, 046418 (2002), Kasparian et al, Science 301, 61 (2003)) and focusing the radiation into condensed matter important issues are production of elongated plasma channels, as well as high conversion efficiency to the white light. We control stochastic plasma channels by changing the initial beam size or shape. The result is the increase in the plasma density and white light signal. Control by regular small-scale perturbations allows us to suppress atmospheric turbulence in air and create an array of well-arranged filaments in fused silica.

Progress in the Development of a High Power Helicon Plasma Source for the Materials Plasma Exposure Experiment

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Goulding, Richard Howell; Caughman, John B.; Rapp, Juergen

Proto-MPEX is a linear plasma device being used to study a novel RF source concept for the planned Material Plasma Exposure eXperiment (MPEX), which will address plasma-materials interaction (PMI) for nuclear fusion reactors. Plasmas are produced using a large diameter helicon source operating at a frequency of 13.56 MHz at power levels up to 120 kW. In recent experiments the helicon source has produced deuterium plasmas with densities up to ~6 × 1019 m–3 measured at a location 2 m downstream from the antenna and 0.4 m from the target. Previous plasma production experiments on Proto-MPEX have generated lower densitymore » plasmas with hollow electron temperature profiles and target power deposition peaked far off axis. The latest experiments have produced flat Te profiles with a large portion of the power deposited on the target near the axis. This and other evidence points to the excitation of a helicon mode in this case.« less

Sensitivity of wave propagation in the LHRF to initial poloidal position in finite-aspect-ratio toroidal plasmas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Larson, J. J.; Pinsker, R. I.; Bonoli, P. T.; Porkolab, M.

2017-10-01

The important effect of varying the initial poloidal wave-launching location to the core accessibility of lower hybrid slow waves in a torus of finite aspect ratio has been understood for many years. Since the qualitative properties of the wave propagation of the other branch in this regime, known as the `whistler', `helicon' or simply the `fast wave', are similar in some ways to those of the slow wave, we expect a dependence on launch position for this wave also. We study this problem for both slow and fast waves, first with simplified analytic models and then using the ray-tracing code GENRAY for realistic plasma equilibria. We assess the prospects of inside, top, bottom or conventional outside launch of waves on each of the two branches. Although the slow wave has been the focus of research for LHRF heating and current drive in the past, the fast wave will play a major role in burning plasmas beyond ITER where Te(0) = 10-20 keV. The stronger electron Landau damping of the slow wave will restrict the power deposition to the outer third of the plasma, while the fast wave's weaker damping allows the wave to penetrate to the hot plasma core before depositing its power. Work supported in part by US DoE under the Science Undergraduate Laboratory Internship (SULI) program and under DE-FC02-04ER54698 and DE-FG02-91-ER54109.

Plasma Pancakes and Deep Cavities Generated by High Power Radio Waves from the Arecibo Observatory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bernhardt, P. A.; Briczinski, S. J., Jr.; Zawdie, K.; Huba, J.; Siefring, C. L.; Sulzer, M. P.; Nossa, E.; Aponte, N.; Perillat, P.; Jackson-Booth, N.

2017-12-01

Breakdown of the neutral atmosphere at ionospheric altitudes can be achieved with high power HF waves that reflect on the bottomside of the ionosphere. For overdense heating (i.e., wave frequency < maximum plasma frequency in the F-layer), the largest electric fields in the plasma are found just below the reflection altitude. There, electromagnetic waves are converted into electron plasma (Langmir) waves and ion acoustic waves. These waves are measured by scattering of the 430 MHz radar at Arecibo to from an enhanced plasma line. The photo-electron excitation of Langmuir waves yields a weaker plasma-line profile that shows the complete electron profile with the radar. Once HF enhanced Langmuir waves are formed, they can accelerate the photo-electron population to sufficient energies for neutral breakdown and enhanced ionization inside the HF Radio Beam. Plasma pancakes are produced because the breakdown process continues to build up plasma on bottom of the breakdown clouds and recombination occurs on the older breakdown plasma at the top of these clouds. Thus, the plasma pancake falls with altitude from the initial HF wave reflection altitude near 250 km to about 160 km where ion-electron recombination prevents the plasma cloud from being sustained by the high power HF. Experiments in March 2017 have produced plasma pancakes with about 100 Mega-Watts effective radiated power 5.1 MHz with the Arecibo HF Facility. Observations using the 430 MHz radar show falling plasma pancakes that disappear at low altitudes and reform at the F-layer critical reflection altitude. Sometimes the periodic and regular falling motion of the plasma pancakes is influenced by Acoustic Gravity Waves (AGW) propagating through the modified HF region. A rising AGW can cause the plasma pancake to reside at nearly constant altitude for 10 to 20 minutes. Dense cavities are also produced by high power radio waves interacting with the F-Layer. These structures are observed with the Arecibo 430 MHz

Method for producing metallic microparticles

DOEpatents

Phillips, Jonathan; Perry, William L.; Kroenke, William J.

2004-06-29

Method for producing metallic particles. The method converts metallic nanoparticles into larger, spherical metallic particles. An aerosol of solid metallic nanoparticles and a non-oxidizing plasma having a portion sufficiently hot to melt the nanoparticles are generated. The aerosol is directed into the plasma where the metallic nanoparticles melt, collide, join, and spheroidize. The molten spherical metallic particles are directed away from the plasma and enter the afterglow where they cool and solidify.

Layered composites made from bimetallic strips produced by plasma spraying of TiAl on niobium

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Burmistrov, V. I.; Antonova, A. V.; Povarova, K. B.; Bannykh, I. O.

2007-12-01

The production and structure of a multilayer TiAl/Nb composite material made from bimetallic TiAl/Nb strips fabricated by plasma spraying of TiAl granules onto niobium plates are studied. Here, 3-mm-and 2-mm-thick plates of a layered composite material (LCM) are produced by hot isostatic pressing of a stack of 35 bimetallic plates followed by hot rolling (the total degree of reduction is 78.6 and 85.7%, respectively). The LCM consists of discontinuous TiAl layers separated by niobium layers, and the adhesion between the layers is good. Diffusional intermediate layers form at the TiAl/Nb interfaces in the 3-mm-thick LCM and consist of the following two solid solutions: an α2-Ti3Al-based solid solution contains up to 28 at % Nb, and a niobiumbased solid solution contains up to 27 at % Ti and 32 at % Al. The diffusional intermediate layers in the 2-mmthick LCM plates consist of an α2-Ti3Al-based solid solution with up to 16.0 at % Nb; a τ-Ti3Al2Nb-or Ti4Al3Nb-based solid solution with 51.5 at % Ti, 32 at % Al, and 16.5 at % Nb; and a niobium-based solid solution with up to 22 at % Ti and 30.5 at % Al. When a bimetallic TiAl/Nb strip is fabricated by plasma spraying of granules of the Ti-48 at % Al alloy, this alloy is depleted of aluminum to 42 45 at %, and the fraction of the α2-Ti3Al phase in the sprayed layer increases. When the LCM is produced by hot isostatic pressing followed by hot rolling, the layer of plain niobium (Nb1) dissolves up to 5 at % Ti and 7 at % Al.

Initial Operation of the Miniaturized Inductively Heated Plasma Generator IPG6

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dropmann, Michael; Herdrich, Georg; Laufer, Rene; Koch, Helmut; Gomringer, Chris; Cook, Mike; Schmoke, Jimmy; Matthews, Lorin; Hyde, Truell

2012-10-01

In close collaboration between the Center for Astrophysics, Space Physics and Engineering Research (CASPER) at Baylor University, Texas, and the Institute of Space Systems (IRS) at the University of Stuttgart, Germany, two plasma wind tunnel facilities of similar type have been established using the inductively heated plasma source IPG6 which is based on proven IRS designs. The facility at Baylor University (IPG6-B) works at a frequency of 13.56 MHz and a maximum power of 15 kW. A vacuum pump of 160m^3/h in combination with a butterfly valve allows pressure control in a wide range. First experiments have been conducted with Air, O2 and N2 as working gases and volumetric flow rates of up to 14 L/min at pressures of a few 100 Pa, although pressures below 1 Pa are achievable at lower flow rates. The maximum tested electric power so far was 8 kW. Plasma powers and total pressures in the plasma jet have been obtained. In the near future the set up of additional diagnostics, the use of other gases (i.e. H2, He), and the integration of a dust particle accelerator are planned. The intended fields of research are basic investigation in thermo-chemistry and plasma radiation, space plasma environments and high heat fluxes e.g. in fusion devices or during atmospheric entry of spacecraft.

Initial operation of the Lockheed Martin T4B experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Garrett, M. L.; Blinzer, A.; Ebersohn, F.; Gucker, S.; Heinrich, J.; Lohff, C.; McGuire, T.; Montecalvo, N.; Raymond, A.; Rhoads, J.; Ross, P.; Sommers, B.; Strandberg, E.; Sullivan, R.; Walker, J.

2017-10-01

The T4B experiment is a linear, encapsulated ring cusp confinement device, designed to develop a physics and technology basis for a follow-on high beta (β 1) machine. The experiment consists of 13 magnetic field coils (11 external, 2 internal), to produce a series of on-axis field nulls surrounded by modest magnetic fields of up to 0.3 T. The primary plasma source used on T4B is a lanthanum hexaboride (LaB6) cathode, capable of coupling over 100 kW into the plasma. Initial testing focused on commissioning of components and integration of diagnostics. Diagnostics include both long and short wavelength interferometry, bolometry, visible and X-ray spectroscopy, Langmuir and B-dot probes, Thomson scattering, flux loops, and fast camera imagery. Low energy discharges were used to begin validation of physics models and simulation efforts. Following the initial machine check-out, neutral beam injection (NBI) was integrated onto the device. Detailed results will be presented. 2017 Lockheed Martin Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

Bragg scattering of electromagnetic waves by microwave-produced plasma layers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kuo, S. P.; Zhang, Y. S.

1990-01-01

A set of parallel plasma layers is generated by two intersecting microwave pulses in a chamber containing dry air at a pressure comparable to the upper atmosphere. The dependencies of breakdown conditions on the pressure and pulse length are examined. The results are shown to be consistent with the appearance of tail erosion of the microwave pulse caused by air breakdown. A Bragg scattering experiment, using the plasma layers as a Bragg reflector, is then performed. Both time domain and frequency domain measurements of wave scattering are conducted. The experimental results are found to agree very well with the theory.

Preliminary design of laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy for proto-Material Plasma Exposure eXperiment

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Shaw, G., E-mail: shawgc@ornl.gov; University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee 37996; Martin, M. Z.

2014-11-15

Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) is a technique for measuring surface matter composition. LIBS is performed by focusing laser radiation onto a target surface, ablating the surface, forming a plasma, and analyzing the light produced. LIBS surface analysis is a possible diagnostic for characterizing plasma-facing materials in ITER. Oak Ridge National Laboratory has enabled the initial installation of a laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy diagnostic on the prototype Material-Plasma Exposure eXperiment (Proto-MPEX), which strives to mimic the conditions found at the surface of the ITER divertor. This paper will discuss the LIBS implementation on Proto-MPEX, preliminary design of the fiber optic LIBS collectionmore » probe, and the expected results.« less

Initial growth, refractive index, and crystallinity of thermal and plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition AlN films

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Van Bui, Hao, E-mail: H.VanBui@utwente.nl; Wiggers, Frank B.; Gupta, Anubha

2015-01-01

The authors have studied and compared the initial growth and properties of AlN films deposited on Si(111) by thermal and plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition (ALD) using trimethylaluminum and either ammonia or a N{sub 2}-H{sub 2} mixture as precursors. In-situ spectroscopic ellipsometry was employed to monitor the growth and measure the refractive index of the films during the deposition. The authors found that an incubation stage only occurred for thermal ALD. The linear growth for plasma-enhanced ALD (PEALD) started instantly from the beginning due to the higher nuclei density provided by the presence of plasma. The authors observed the evolution ofmore » the refractive index of AlN during the growth, which showed a rapid increase up to a thickness of about 30 nm followed by a saturation. Below this thickness, higher refractive index values were obtained for AlN films grown by PEALD, whereas above that the refractive index was slightly higher for thermal ALD films. X-ray diffraction characterization showed a wurtzite crystalline structure with a (101{sup ¯}0) preferential orientation obtained for all the layers with a slightly better crystallinity for films grown by PEALD.« less

Short-wavelength out-of-band EUV emission from Sn laser-produced plasma

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Torretti, F.; Schupp, R.; Kurilovich, D.; Bayerle, A.; Scheers, J.; Ubachs, W.; Hoekstra, R.; Versolato, O. O.

2018-02-01

We present the results of spectroscopic measurements in the extreme ultraviolet regime (7-17 nm) of molten tin microdroplets illuminated by a high-intensity 3 J, 60 ns Nd:YAG laser pulse. The strong 13.5 nm emission from this laser-produced plasma (LPP) is of relevance for next-generation nanolithography machines. Here, we focus on the shorter wavelength features between 7 and 12 nm which have so far remained poorly investigated despite their diagnostic relevance. Using flexible atomic code calculations and local thermodynamic equilibrium arguments, we show that the line features in this region of the spectrum can be explained by transitions from high-lying configurations within the Sn{}8+-Sn{}15+ ions. The dominant transitions for all ions but Sn{}8+ are found to be electric-dipole transitions towards the n = 4 ground state from the core-excited configuration in which a 4p electron is promoted to the 5s subshell. Our results resolve some long-standing spectroscopic issues and provide reliable charge state identification for Sn LPP, which could be employed as a useful tool for diagnostic purposes.

Spectra of Mo XXX, XXXI, and XXXII from a laser-produced plasma

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Burkhalter, P.G.; Reader, J.; Cowan, R.D.

1977-11-01

Spectra of highly charged Mo ions generated in a laser-produced plasma were observed from 10 to 190 A with a 3 m grazing- incidence spectrograph. Line identifications in Mo XXX-- XXXII were made with the help of relativistic Hartree-Fock calculations. In Mo XXXI (Mg-like) the 3s/sup 2/ /sup 1/S/sub 0/--3s3p /sup 1/P/sub 1/ resonance line was found to be at 115.944 A. In Mo XXXII (Na-like) the 3s /sup 2/S/sub 1/2/--3p /sup 2/P/sub 3/2,1/2/ resonance lines are at 127.814 and 176.62 A. These values support the recent identifications of these lines in the Princeton ST tokamak by Hinnov. The density-sensitivemore » 3p /sup 2/P/sub 3/2/--3d /sup 2/D/sub 5/2/ transition in Mo XXXII is at 126.937 A. At shorter wavelengths, the 3s--4p transitions of Mo XXXII are at 14.384 and 14.565 A.« less

Pancreatic tumours produce neurotensin.

PubMed

Blackburn, A M; Bryant, M G; Adrian, T E; Bloom, S R

1981-04-01

Tumour tissue may secrete substances which are not normally secreted by the original tissue. We have found that 6 out of 21 pancreatic tumours producing vasoactive intestinal peptide also produce neurotensin-like peptides. These are sometimes secreted and very high plasma levels of neurotensin-like immunoreactivity may be found in the circulation.

Observation of astrophysical Weibel instability in counterstreaming laser-produced plasmas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fox, W.; Fiksel, G.; Bhattacharjee, A.; Germaschewski, K.; Chang, P.-Y.; Hu, S. X.; Nilson, P. M.

2013-10-01

Astrophysical shocks are typically collisionless and require collective electromagnetic fields to couple the upstream and downstream plasmas. The Weibel instability has been proposed to be one of such collective mechanism. Here we present laboratory tests of this process through observations of the Weibel instability generated between two counterstreaming, supersonic plasma flows, generated on the OMEGA EP laser facility by irradiating of a pair of opposing parallel CH targets by UV laser pulses (0.351 μm, 1.8 kJ, 2 ns). The Weibel-generated electromagnetic fields were probed with an ultrafast proton beam, generated with a high-intensity laser pulse (1.053 μm, 800 J, 10 ps) focused to >1018 W/cm2 onto a thin Cu disk. Growth of a striated, transverse instability is observed at the midplane as the two plasmas interpenetrate, which is identified as the Weibel instability through agreement with analytic theory and particle-in-cell simulations. These laboratory observations directly demonstrate the existence of this astrophysical process, and pave the way for further detailed laboratory study of this instability and its consequences for particle energization and shock formation. This work was supported by DOE grant DE-SC0007168.

PLASMA DEVICE

DOEpatents

Baker, W.R.

1961-08-22

A device is described for establishing and maintaining a high-energy, rotational plasma for use as a fast discharge capacitor. A disc-shaped, current- conducting plasma is formed in an axinl magnetic field and a crossed electric field, thereby creating rotational kinetic enengy in the plasma. Such energy stored in the rotation of the plasma disc is substantial and is convertible tc electrical energy by generator action in an output line electrically coupled to the plasma volume. Means are then provided for discharging the electrical energy into an external circuit coupled to the output line to produce a very large pulse having an extremely rapid rise time in the waveform thereof. (AE C)

TEMPEST Simulations of Collisionless Damping of Geodesic-Acoustic Mode in Edge Plasma Pedestal

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Xu, X Q; Xiong, Z; Nevins, W M

The fully nonlinear (full-f) 4D TEMPEST gyrokinetic continuum code produces frequency, collisionless damping of GAM and zonal flow with fully nonlinear Boltzmann electrons for the inverse aspect ratio {epsilon}-scan and the tokamak safety factor q-scan in homogeneous plasmas. The TEMPEST simulation shows that GAM exists in edge plasma pedestal for steep density and temperature gradients, and an initial GAM relaxes to the standard neoclassical residual, rather than Rosenbluth-Hinton residual due to the presence of ion-ion collisions. The enhanced GAM damping explains experimental BES measurements on the edge q scaling of the GAM amplitude.

TEMPEST Simulations of Collisionless Damping of Geodesic-Acoustic Mode in Edge Plasma Pedestal

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Xu, X; Xiong, Z; Nevins, W

The fully nonlinear 4D TEMPEST gyrokinetic continuum code produces frequency, collisionless damping of geodesic-acoustic mode (GAM) and zonal flow with fully nonlinear Boltzmann electrons for the inverse aspect ratio {epsilon}-scan and the tokamak safety factor q-scan in homogeneous plasmas. The TEMPEST simulation shows that GAM exists in edge plasma pedestal for steep density and temperature gradients, and an initial GAM relaxes to the standard neoclassical residual, rather than Rosenbluth-Hinton residual due to the presence of ion-ion collisions. The enhanced GAM damping explains experimental BES measurements on the edge q scaling of the GAM amplitude.

Studies on plasma profiles and its effect on dust charging in hydrogen plasma

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kakati, B.; Kausik, S. S.; Saikia, B. K.; Bandyopadhay, M.

2010-02-01

Plasma profiles and its influence on dust charging are studied in hydrogen plasma. The plasma is produced in a high vacuum device by a hot cathode discharge method and is confined by a cusped magnetic field cage. A cylindrical Espion advanced Langmuir probe having 0.15 mm diameter and 10.0 mm length is used to study the plasma parameters for various discharge conditions. Optimum operational discharge parameters in terms of charging of the dust grains are studied. The charge on the surface of the dust particle is calculated from the capacitance model and the current by the dust grains is measured by the combination of a Faraday cup and an electrometer. Unlike our previous experiments in which dust grains were produced in-situ, here a dust dropper is used to drop the dust particles into the plasma.

Spatial structures arising along a surface wave produced plasma column: an experimental study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Atanassov, V.; Mateev, E.

2007-04-01

The formation of spatial structures in high-frequency and microwave discharges has been known for several decades. Nevertheless it still raises increased interest, probably due to the variety of the observed phenomena and the lack of adequate and systematic theoretical interpretation. In this paper we present preliminary results on observation of spatial structures appearing along a surface wave sustained plasma column. The experiments have been performed in noble gases (xenon and neon) at low to intermediate pressure and the surface wave has been launched by a surfatron. Under these conditions we have observed and documented: i) appearance of stationary plasma rings; ii) formation of standing-wave striationlike patterns; iii) contraction of the plasma column; iv) plasma column transition into moving plasma balls and filaments. Some of the existing theoretical considerations of these phenomena are reviewed and discussed.

Design a 10 kJ IS Mather Type Plasma Focus for Solid Target Activation to Produce Short-Lived Radioisotopes 12C(d,n)13N

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sadat Kiai, S. M.; Adlparvar, S.; Sheibani, S.; Elahi, M.; Safarien, A.; Farhangi, S.; Zirak, A. R.; Alhooie, S.; Mortazavi, B. N.; Khalaj, M. M.; Khanchi, A. R.; Dabirzadeh, A. A.; Kashani, A.; Zahedi, F.

2010-10-01

A 10 kJ (15 kV, 88 μF) IS (Iranian Sun) Mather type plasma focus device has been studied to determine the activity of a compound exogenous carbon solid target through 12C(d,n)13N nuclear reaction. The produced 13N is a short-lived radioisotope with a half-life of 9.97 min and threshold energy of 0.28 MeV. The results indicate that energetic deuterons impinging on the solid target can produce yield of = 6.7 × 10-5 with an activity of A = 6.8 × 104 Bq for one plasma focus shut and A ν = 4 × 105 Bq for 6 shut per mint when the projectile maximum deuterons energy is E max = 3 MeV.

Generation mechanism of hydroxyl radical species and its lifetime prediction during the plasma-initiated ultraviolet (UV) photolysis

PubMed Central

Attri, Pankaj; Kim, Yong Hee; Park, Dae Hoon; Park, Ji Hoon; Hong, Young J.; Uhm, Han Sup; Kim, Kyoung-Nam; Fridman, Alexander; Choi, Eun Ha

2015-01-01

Through this work, we have elucidated the mechanism of hydroxyl radicals (OH•) generation and its life time measurements in biosolution. We observed that plasma-initiated ultraviolet (UV) photolysis were responsible for the continues generation of OH• species, that resulted in OH• to be major reactive species (RS) in the solution. The density and lifetime of OH• species acted inversely proportional to each other with increasing depth inside the solution. The cause of increased lifetime of OH• inside the solution is predicted using theoretical and semiempirical calculations. Further, to predict the mechanism of conversion of hydroxide ion (OH−) to OH• or H2O2 (hydrogen peroxide) and electron, we determined the current inside the solution of different pH. Additionally, we have investigated the critical criterion for OH• interaction on cancer cell inducing apoptosis under effective OH• exposure time. These studies are innovative in the field of plasma chemistry and medicine. PMID:25790968

The Use of Multi-Reactor Cascade Plasma Electrolysis for Linear Alkylbenzene Sulfonate Degradation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saksono, Nelson; Ibrahim; Zainah; Budikania, Trisutanti

2018-03-01

Plasma electrolysis is a method that can produce large amounts of hydroxyl radicals to degrade organic waste. The purpose of this study is to improve the effectiveness of Linear alkylbenzene sulfonate (LAS) degradation by using multi-reactor cascade plasma electrolysis. The reactor which operated in circulation system, using 3 reactors series flow and 6 L of LAS with initial concentration of 100 ppm. The results show that the LAS degradation can be improved multi-reactor cascade plasma electrolysis. The greatest LAS degradation is achieved up to 81.91% with energy consumption of 2227.34 kJ/mmol that is obtained during 120 minutes by using 600 Volt, 0.03 M of KOH, and 0.5 cm of the anode depth.

Low-density plasma formation in aqueous biological media using sub-nanosecond laser pulses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Genc, Suzanne L.; Ma, Huan; Venugopalan, Vasan

2014-08-01

We demonstrate the formation of low- and high-density plasmas in aqueous media using sub-nanosecond laser pulses delivered at low numerical aperture (NA = 0.25). We observe two distinct regimes of plasma formation in deionized water, phosphate buffered saline, Minimum Essential Medium (MEM), and MEM supplemented with phenol red. Optical breakdown is first initiated in a low-energy regime and characterized by bubble formation without plasma luminescence with threshold pulse energies in the range of Ep ≈ 4-5 μJ, depending on media formulation. The onset of this regime occurs over a very narrow interval of pulse energies and produces small bubbles (Rmax = 2-20 μm) due to a tiny conversion (η < 0.01%) of laser energy to bubble energy EB. The lack of visible plasma luminescence, sharp energy onset, and low bubble energy conversion are all hallmarks of low-density plasma (LDP) formation. At higher pulse energies (Ep = 11-20 μJ), the process transitions to a second regime characterized by plasma luminescence and large bubble formation. Bubbles formed in this regime are 1-2 orders of magnitude larger in size ( R max ≳ 100 μ m ) due to a roughly two-order-of-magnitude increase in bubble energy conversion (η ≳ 3%). These characteristics are consistent with high-density plasma formation produced by avalanche ionization and thermal runaway. Additionally, we show that supplementation of MEM with fetal bovine serum (FBS) limits optical breakdown to this high-energy regime. The ability to produce LDPs using sub-nanosecond pulses focused at low NA in a variety of cell culture media formulations without FBS can provide for cellular manipulation at high throughput with precision approaching that of femtosecond pulses delivered at high NA.

Kinetic Simulations of Dense Plasma Focus Breakdown

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schmidt, A.; Higginson, D. P.; Jiang, S.; Link, A.; Povilus, A.; Sears, J.; Bennett, N.; Rose, D. V.; Welch, D. R.

2015-11-01

A dense plasma focus (DPF) device is a type of plasma gun that drives current through a set of coaxial electrodes to assemble gas inside the device and then implode that gas on axis to form a Z-pinch. This implosion drives hydrodynamic and kinetic instabilities that generate strong electric fields, which produces a short intense pulse of x-rays, high-energy (>100 keV) electrons and ions, and (in deuterium gas) neutrons. A strong factor in pinch performance is the initial breakdown and ionization of the gas along the insulator surface separating the two electrodes. The smoothness and isotropy of this ionized sheath are imprinted on the current sheath that travels along the electrodes, thus making it an important portion of the DPF to both understand and optimize. Here we use kinetic simulations in the Particle-in-cell code LSP to model the breakdown. Simulations are initiated with neutral gas and the breakdown modeled self-consistently as driven by a charged capacitor system. We also investigate novel geometries for the insulator and electrodes to attempt to control the electric field profile. The initial ionization fraction of gas is explored computationally to gauge possible advantages of pre-ionization which could be created experimentally via lasers or a glow-discharge. Prepared by LLNL under Contract DE-AC52-07NA27344.

Propagation velocities of laser-produced plasmas from copper wire targets and water droplets

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Song, Kyo-Dong; Alexander, Dennis R.

1994-01-01

Experiments were performed to determine the plasma propagation velocities resulting from KrF laser irradiation of copper wire target (75 microns diameter) and water droplets (75 microns diameter) at irradiance levels ranging from 25 to 150 GW/sq cm. Plasma propagation velocities were measured using a streak camera system oriented orthogonally to the high-energy laser propagation axis. Plasma velocities were studied as a function of position in the focused beam. Results show that both the shape of the plasma formation and material removal from the copper wire are different and depend on whether the targets are focused or slightly defocused (approximately = 0.5 mm movement in the beam axis). Plasma formation and its position relative to the target is an important factor in determining the practical focal point during high-energy laser interaction with materials. At irradiance of 100 GW/sq cm, the air plasma has two weak-velocity components which propagate toward and away from the incident laser while a strong-velocity component propagates away from the laser beam as a detonation wave. Comparison of the measured breakdown velocities (in the range of 2.22-2.27 x 10(exp 5) m/s) for air and the value calculated by the nonlinear breakdown wave theory at irradiance of 100 GW/sq cm showed a quantitative agreement within approximately 50% while the linear theory and Gaussian pulse theory failed. The detonation wave velocities of plasma generated from water droplets and copper wire targets for different focused cases were measured and analyzed theoretically. The propagation velocities of laser-induced plasma liquid droplets obtained by previous research are compared with current work.

Method for producing metal oxide nanoparticles

DOEpatents

Phillips, Jonathan [Santa Fe, NM; Mendoza, Daniel [Santa Fe, NM; Chen, Chun-Ku [Albuquerque, NM

2008-04-15

Method for producing metal oxide nanoparticles. The method includes generating an aerosol of solid metallic microparticles, generating plasma with a plasma hot zone at a temperature sufficiently high to vaporize the microparticles into metal vapor, and directing the aerosol into the hot zone of the plasma. The microparticles vaporize in the hot zone into metal vapor. The metal vapor is directed away from the hot zone and into the cooler plasma afterglow where it oxidizes, cools and condenses to form solid metal oxide nanoparticles.

Steady state compact toroidal plasma production

DOEpatents

Turner, William C.

1986-01-01

Apparatus and method for maintaining steady state compact toroidal plasmas. A compact toroidal plasma is formed by a magnetized coaxial plasma gun and held in close proximity to the gun electrodes by applied magnetic fields or magnetic fields produced by image currents in conducting walls. Voltage supply means maintains a constant potential across the electrodes producing an increasing magnetic helicity which drives the plasma away from a minimum energy state. The plasma globally relaxes to a new minimum energy state, conserving helicity according to Taylor's relaxation hypothesis, and injecting net helicity into the core of the compact toroidal plasma. Controlling the voltage so as to inject net helicity at a predetermined rate based on dissipative processes maintains or increases the compact toroidal plasma in a time averaged steady state mode.

Modeling of the L-shell copper X-pinch plasma produced by the compact generator of Ecole polytechnique using pattern recognition

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Larour, Jean; Aranchuk, Leonid E.; Danisman, Yusuf

2016-03-15

Principal component analysis is applied and compared with the line ratios of special Ne-like transitions for investigating the electron beam effects on the L-shell Cu synthetic spectra. The database for the principal component extraction is created over a non Local Thermodynamic Equilibrium (non-LTE) collisional radiative L-shell Copper model. The extracted principal components are used as a database for Artificial Neural Network in order to estimate the plasma electron temperature, density, and beam fractions from a representative time-integrated spatially resolved L-shell Cu X-pinch plasma spectrum. The spectrum is produced by the explosion of 25-μm Cu wires on a compact LC (40more » kV, 200 kA, and 200 ns) generator. The modeled plasma electron temperatures are about T{sub e} ∼ 150 eV and N{sub e} = 5 × 10{sup 19} cm{sup −3} in the presence of the fraction of the beams with f ∼ 0.05 and a centered energy of ∼10 keV.« less

Study of Plasma Flows Generated in Plasma Focus Discharge in Different Regimes of Working Gas Filling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Voitenko, D. A.; Ananyev, S. S.; Astapenko, G. I.; Basilaia, A. D.; Markolia, A. I.; Mitrofanov, K. N.; Myalton, V. V.; Timoshenko, A. P.; Kharrasov, A. M.; Krauz, V. I.

2017-12-01

Results are presented from experimental studies of the plasma flows generated in the KPF-4 Phoenix Mather-type plasma focus device (Sukhum Physical Technical Institute). In order to study how the formation and dynamics of the plasma flow depend on the initial distribution of the working gas, a system of pulsed gas puffing into the discharge volume was developed. The system allows one to create profiled gas distributions, including those with a reduced gas density in the region of plasma flow propagation. Results of measurements of the magnetic field, flow profile, and flow deceleration dynamics at different initial distributions of the gas pressure are presented.

Device and method for electron beam heating of a high density plasma

DOEpatents

Thode, L.E.

A device and method for relativistic electron beam heating of a high density plasma in a small localized region are described. A relativistic electron beam generator produces a high voltage electron beam which propagates along a vacuum drift tube and is modulated to initiate electron bunching within the beam. The beam is then directed through a low density gas chamber which provides isolation between the vacuum modulator and the relativistic electron beam target. The relativistic beam is then applied to a high density target plasma which typically comprises DT, DD, hydrogen boron or similar thermonuclear gas at a density of 10/sup 17/ to 10/sup 20/.

On the Magnetic Shield for a Vlasov-Poisson Plasma

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Caprino, Silvia; Cavallaro, Guido; Marchioro, Carlo

2017-12-01

We study the screening of a bounded body Γ against the effect of a wind of charged particles, by means of a shield produced by a magnetic field which becomes infinite on the border of Γ . The charged wind is modeled by a Vlasov-Poisson plasma, the bounded body by a torus, and the external magnetic field is taken close to the border of Γ . We study two models: a plasma composed by different species with positive or negative charges, and finite total mass of each species, and another made of many species of the same sign, each having infinite mass. We investigate the time evolution of both systems, showing in particular that the plasma particles cannot reach the body. Finally we discuss possible extensions to more general initial data. We show also that when the magnetic lines are straight lines, (that imposes an unbounded body), the previous results can be improved.

High average power, highly brilliant laser-produced plasma source for soft X-ray spectroscopy.

PubMed

Mantouvalou, Ioanna; Witte, Katharina; Grötzsch, Daniel; Neitzel, Michael; Günther, Sabrina; Baumann, Jonas; Jung, Robert; Stiel, Holger; Kanngiesser, Birgit; Sandner, Wolfgang

2015-03-01

In this work, a novel laser-produced plasma source is presented which delivers pulsed broadband soft X-radiation in the range between 100 and 1200 eV. The source was designed in view of long operating hours, high stability, and cost effectiveness. It relies on a rotating and translating metal target and achieves high stability through an on-line monitoring device using a four quadrant extreme ultraviolet diode in a pinhole camera arrangement. The source can be operated with three different laser pulse durations and various target materials and is equipped with two beamlines for simultaneous experiments. Characterization measurements are presented with special emphasis on the source position and emission stability of the source. As a first application, a near edge X-ray absorption fine structure measurement on a thin polyimide foil shows the potential of the source for soft X-ray spectroscopy.

Moisture resistant and anti-reflection optical coatings produced by plasma polymerization of organic compounds

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hollahan, J. R.; Wydeven, T.

1975-01-01

The need for protective coatings on critical optical surfaces, such as halide crystal windows or lenses used in spectroscopy, has long been recognized. It has been demonstrated that thin, one micron, organic coatings produced by polymerization of flourinated monomers in low temperature gas discharge (plasma) exhibit very high degrees of moisture resistence, e.g., hundreds of hours protection for cesium iodide vs. minutes before degradation sets in for untreated surfaces. The index of refraction of these coatings is intermediate between that of the halide substrate and air, a condition for anti-reflection, another desirable property of optical coatings. Thus, the organic coatings not only offer protection, but improved transmittance as well. The polymer coating is non-absorbing over the range 0.4 to 40 microns with an exception at 8.0 microns, the expected absorption for C-F bonds.

Space plasma research

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Comfort, R. H.; Horwitz, J. L.

1986-01-01

Temperature and density analysis in the Automated Analysis Program (for the global empirical model) were modified to use flow velocities produced by the flow velocity analysis. Revisions were started to construct an interactive version of the technique for temperature and density analysis used in the automated analysis program. A sutdy of ion and electron heating at high altitudes in the outer plasmasphere was initiated. Also the analysis of the electron gun experiments on SCATHA were extended to include eclipse operations in order to test a hypothesis that there are interactions between the 50 to 100 eV beam and spacecraft generated photoelectrons. The MASSCOMP software to be used in taking and displaying data in the two-ion plasma experiment was tested and is now working satisfactorily. Papers published during the report period are listed.

Experimental investigation of vapor shielding effects induced by ELM-like pulsed plasma loads using the double plasma gun device

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sakuma, I.; Kikuchi, Y.; Kitagawa, Y.; Asai, Y.; Onishi, K.; Fukumoto, N.; Nagata, M.

2015-08-01

We have developed a unique experimental device of so-called double plasma gun, which consists of two magnetized coaxial plasma gun (MCPG) devices, in order to clarify effects of vapor shielding on material erosion due to transient events in magnetically confined fusion devices. Two ELM-like pulsed plasmas produced by the two MCPG devices were injected into a target chamber with a variable time difference. For generating ablated plasmas in front of a target material, an aluminum foil sample in the target chamber was exposed to a pulsed plasma produced by the 1st MCPG device. The 2nd pulsed plasma was produced with a time delay of 70 μs. It was found that a surface absorbed energy measured by a calorimeter was reduced to ∼66% of that without the Al foil sample. Thus, the reduction of the incoming plasma energy by the vapor shielding effect was successfully demonstrated in the present experiment.

Production and Study of High-Beta Plasma Confined by a Superconducting Dipole Magnet

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Garnier, Darren

2005-10-01

The Levitated Dipole Experiment (LDX)http://psfcwww2.psfc.mit.edu/ldx/ is a new research facility that is exploring the confinement and stability of plasma created within the dipole field produced by a strong superconducting magnet. Unlike other configurations in which stability depends on curvature and magnetic shear, MHD stability of a dipole derives from plasma compressibility. Theoretically, the dipole magnetic geometry can stabilize a centrally-peaked plasma pressure that exceeds the local magnetic pressure (β> 1), and the absence of magnetic shear allows particle and energy confinement to decouple. In this presentation, the first experiments using the LDX facility are reported. Long-pulse, quasi-steady state microwave discharges lasting up to 12 seconds have been produced that are consistent with equilibria having peak beta values of 10%. Detailed measurements have been made of discharge evolution, plasma dynamics and instability, and the roles of gas fueling, microwave power deposition profiles, and plasma boundary shape. In these initial experiments, the high-field superconducting floating coil was supported by three thin supports and later the coil will be magnetically levitated. The plasma was created by multi- frequency electron cyclotron resonance heating at 2.45 and 6.4 GHz, and a population of energetic electrons, with mean energies above 50 keV, dominated the plasma pressure. Creation of high-pressure, high-beta plasma is only possible when intense hot electron interchange instabilities are stabilized sufficiently by a high background plasma density. A dramatic transition from a low-density, low-beta regime to a more quiescent, high-beta regime is observed when the plasma-fueling rate and confinement times are sufficiently long. External shaping coils are seen to modify the outer plasma boundary and affect the transition.

QCL seeded, ns-pulse, multi-line, CO2 laser oscillator for laser-produced-plasma extreme-UV source

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nowak, Krzysztof Michał; Suganuma, Takashi; Kurosawa, Yoshiaki; Ohta, Takeshi; Kawasuji, Yasufumi; Nakarai, Hiroaki; Saitou, Takashi; Fujimoto, Junichi; Mizoguchi, Hakaru; Sumitani, Akira; Endo, Akira

2017-01-01

Successful merger of state-of-the-art, semiconductor quantum-cascade lasers (QCL), with the mature CO2 laser technology, resulted in a delivery of highly-desired qualities of CO2 laser output that were not available previously without much effort. These qualities, such as multi-line operation, excellent spectro-temporal stability and pulse waveform control, became available from a single device of moderate complexity. This paper describes the operation principle and the unique properties of the solid{state seeded CO2 laser, invented for an application in laser-produced-plasma (LPP), extreme-UV (EUV) light source.

Effect of Ponderomotive Terms on Heat Flux in Laser-Produced Plasmas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, G.

2005-10-01

A laser electromagnetic field introduces ponderomotive termsootnotetextV. N. Goncharov and G. Li, Phys. Plasmas 11, 5680 (2004). in the heat flux in a plasma. To account for the nonlocal effects in the ponderomotive terms, first, the kinetic equation coupled with the Maxwell equations is numerically solved for the isotropic part of the electron distribution function. Such an equation includes self-consistent electromagnetic fields and laser absorption through the inverse bremsstrahlung. Then, the anisotropic part is found by solving a simplified Fokker--Planck equation. Using the distribution function, the electric current and heat flux are obtained and substituted into the hydrocode LILAC to simulate ICF implosions. The simulation results are compared against the existing nonlocal electron conduction modelsootnotetextG. P. Schurtz, P. D. Nicola"i, and M. Busquet, Phys. Plasmas 9, 4238 (2000). and Fokker--Planck simulations. This work was supported by the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Inertial Confinement Fusion under Cooperative Agreement No. DE-FC52-92SF19460.

Initial evaluation and comparison of plasma damage to atomic layer carbon materials using conventional and low T{sub e} plasma sources

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jagtiani, Ashish V.; Miyazoe, Hiroyuki; Chang, Josephine

2016-01-15

The ability to achieve atomic layer precision is the utmost goal in the implementation of atomic layer etch technology. Carbon-based materials such as carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and graphene are single atomic layers of carbon with unique properties and, as such, represent the ultimate candidates to study the ability to process with atomic layer precision and assess impact of plasma damage to atomic layer materials. In this work, the authors use these materials to evaluate the atomic layer processing capabilities of electron beam generated plasmas. First, the authors evaluate damage to semiconducting CNTs when exposed to beam-generated plasmas and compare thesemore » results against the results using typical plasma used in semiconductor processing. The authors find that the beam generated plasma resulted in significantly lower current degradation in comparison to typical plasmas. Next, the authors evaluated the use of electron beam generated plasmas to process graphene-based devices by functionalizing graphene with fluorine, nitrogen, or oxygen to facilitate atomic layer deposition (ALD). The authors found that all adsorbed species resulted in successful ALD with varying impact on the transconductance of the graphene. Furthermore, the authors compare the ability of both beam generated plasma as well as a conventional low ion energy inductively coupled plasma (ICP) to remove silicon nitride (SiN) deposited on top of the graphene films. Our results indicate that, while both systems can remove SiN, an increase in the D/G ratio from 0.08 for unprocessed graphene to 0.22 to 0.26 for the beam generated plasma, while the ICP yielded values from 0.52 to 1.78. Generally, while some plasma-induced damage was seen for both plasma sources, a much wider process window as well as far less damage to CNTs and graphene was observed when using electron beam generated plasmas.« less

Metal/Carbon Hybrid Nanostructures Produced from Plasma-Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition over Nafion-Supported Electrochemically Deposited Cobalt Nanoparticles

PubMed Central

Achour, Amine; Saeed, Khalid; Djouadi, Mohamed Abdou

2018-01-01

In this work, we report development of hybrid nanostructures of metal nanoparticles (NP) and carbon nanostructures with strong potential for catalysis, sensing, and energy applications. First, the etched silicon wafer substrates were passivated for subsequent electrochemical (EC) processing through grafting of nitro phenyl groups using para-nitrobenzene diazonium (PNBT). The X-ray photoelectron spectroscope (XPS) and atomic force microscope (AFM) studies confirmed presence of few layers. Cobalt-based nanoparticles were produced over dip or spin coated Nafion films under different EC reduction conditions, namely CoSO4 salt concentration (0.1 M, 1 mM), reduction time (5, 20 s), and indirect or direct EC reduction route. Extensive AFM examination revealed NP formation with different attributes (size, distribution) depending on electrochemistry conditions. While relatively large NP with >100 nm size and bimodal distribution were obtained after 20 s EC reduction in H3BO3 following Co2+ ion uptake, ultrafine NP (<10 nm) could be produced from EC reduction in CoSO4 and H3BO3 mixed solution with some tendency to form oxides. Different carbon nanostructures including few-walled or multiwalled carbon nanotubes (CNT) and carbon nanosheets were grown in a C2H2/NH3 plasma using the plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition technique. The devised processing routes enable size controlled synthesis of cobalt nanoparticles and metal/carbon hybrid nanostructures with unique microstructural features. PMID:29702583

X-Ray Diagnostics of Laser-Produced Aluminum Plasmas

DTIC Science & Technology

1976-06-01

n.n g (E /kT ) ’ (24) ff r l e ff H e but shoys re spectral dependence on T [29]. Thus in the e visible region, electron density can be extracted...abetract entered In Block 20, It different from Report) 18. SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES 19. KEY WORDS ’Continue on reveree aide it neceaaary and Identity by block...Continue on reveree tide It naceeeary and identity by block number) Electron temperatures have been evaluated using the x-ray emission from plasmas

A source to deliver mesoscopic particles for laser plasma studies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gopal, R.; Kumar, R.; Anand, M.; Kulkarni, A.; Singh, D. P.; Krishnan, S. R.; Sharma, V.; Krishnamurthy, M.

2017-02-01

Intense ultrashort laser produced plasmas are a source for high brightness, short burst of X-rays, electrons, and high energy ions. Laser energy absorption and its disbursement strongly depend on the laser parameters and also on the initial size and shape of the target. The ability to change the shape, size, and material composition of the matter that absorbs light is of paramount importance not only from a fundamental physics point of view but also for potentially developing laser plasma sources tailored for specific applications. The idea of preparing mesoscopic particles of desired size/shape and suspending them in vacuum for laser plasma acceleration is a sparsely explored domain. In the following report we outline the development of a delivery mechanism of microparticles into an effusive jet in vacuum for laser plasma studies. We characterise the device in terms of particle density, particle size distribution, and duration of operation under conditions suitable for laser plasma studies. We also present the first results of x-ray emission from micro crystals of boric acid that extends to 100 keV even under relatively mild intensities of 1016 W/cm2.

Impact of Pre-Plasma on Electron Generation and Transport in Laser Plasma Interactions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peebles, Jonathan Lee

Relativistic laser plasma interactions in conjunction with an underdense pre-plasma have been shown to generate a two temperature component electron spectrum. The lower temperature component described by "ponderomotive scaling'" is relatively well known and understood and is useful for applications such as the fast ignition inertial confinement fusion scheme. The higher energy electrons generated due to pre-plasma are denoted as "super-ponderomotive" electrons and facilitate interesting and useful applications. These include but are not limited to table top particle acceleration and generating high energy protons, x-rays and neutrons from secondary interactions. This dissertation describes experimental and particle-in-cell computational studies of the electron spectra produced from interactions between short pulse high intensity lasers and controlled pre-plasma conditions. Experiments were conducted at 3 laser labs: Texas Petawatt (University of Texas at Austin), Titan (Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory) and OMEGA-EP (University of Rochester). These lasers have different capabilities, and multiple experiments were carried out in order to fully understand super-ponderomotive electron generation and transport in the high intensity laser regime (I > 1018 W/cm2). In these experiments, an additional secondary long pulse beam was used to generate different scale lengths of "injected" pre-plasma while the pulse length and intensity of the short pulse beam were varied. The temperature and quantity of super-ponderomotive electrons were monitored with magnetic spectrometers and inferred via bremsstrahlung spectrometers while trajectory was estimated via Cu-Kalpha imaging. The experimental and simulation data show that super-ponderomotive electrons require pulse lengths of at least 450 fs to be accelerated and that higher intensity interactions generate large magnetic fields which cause severe deflection of the super-ponderomotive electrons. Laser incidence angle is