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At least 865 records · Page 48

Microwave power transmission beam safety system

A system in which the characteristics of a microwave power transmission beam are controlled in accordance with power distribution profiles altered due to the detected presence or entrance of an object into the beam which causes changes that are perceived in various received, reflected and scattered power distribution profiles resulting over various receiving elements of the system is presented. The system comprises a microwave power beam radiator array, a microwave power beam receiving antenna array, the radiator array in one embodiment being located on an orbiting spacecraft and the receiving array being located at a ground station. Another embodiment provides a ground based transmitting array and a receiving array aboard an aircraft or airship.

Dickinson, R. M.↗

Current sheet in plasma as a system with a controlling parameter

A simple kinetic model describing stationary solutions with bifurcated and single-peaked current density profiles of a plane electron beam or current sheet in plasma is presented. A connection is established between the two-dimensional constructions arising in terms of the model and the one-dimensional considerations by Bernstein−Greene−Kruskal facilitating the reconstruction of the distribution function of trapped particles when both the profile of the electric potential and the free particles distribution function are known.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

Detection of a coherent population trapping resonance in a beam of {sup 87}Rb atoms by the Ramsey method

Formation of a coherent population trapping (CPT) resonance is studied in the interaction of a beam of {sup 87}Rb atoms with two spatially separated domains of the dichromatic field. Various resonance excitation schemes are compared depending on the choice of operation transitions and type of the polarisation scheme. In the case of a single-velocity atomic beam, the dependence of the CPT resonance profile is studied as a function of principal parameters of the system: beam velocity, distance between optical fields, laser beam dimensions and intensities, and applied permanent magnetic field. Influence of the atomic beam angular divergence and residual beam velocity spread on the resonance quality parameter is estimated. (atomic beams)

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

Shortened Booster Bunch Lengths

Booster typically produces beam bunches that have a phase space profile with a low momentum spread but high time spread, correlating to longer bunch lengths. The goal of this study is to produce beam bunches that have a phase space profile with a high momentum spread but low time spread or narrow bunch lengths. This can be achieved by slowly increasing the RF cavities amplitudes (Adiabatic Excitation) or by oscillating the amplitudes (Quadratic Bunch Rotation, QBR) until the desired bunch lengths are achieved. Results show that when shortening the bunches using QBR, it showed the bunches had a length of 0.6ns (within 1 sigma) but beam losses were being incurred in the 8 GeV line which were a result of beam dispersion.

Abdelhamid, Maan↗

Shortened Booster Bunch Lengths

Booster typically produces beam bunches that have a phase space profile with a low momentum spread but high time spread, correlating to longer bunch lengths. The goal of this study is to produce beam bunches that have a phase space profile with a high momentum spread but low time spread or narrow bunch lengths. This can be achieved by slowly increasing the RF cavities amplitudes (Adiabatic Excitation) or by oscillating the amplitudes (Quadratic Bunch Rotation, QBR) until the desired bunch lengths are achieved. Results show that when shortening the bunches using QBR, it showed the bunches had a length of 0.6ns (within 1 sigma) but beam losses were being incurred in the 8 GeV line which were a result of beam dispersion.

Abdelhamid, Maan↗

Thermonuclear neutron emission from a sheared-flow stabilized Z-pinch

We report the fusion Z-pinch experiment (FuZE) is a sheared-flow stabilized Z-pinch designed to study the effects of flow stabilization on deuterium plasmas with densities and temperatures high enough to drive nuclear fusion reactions. Results from FuZE show high pinch currents and neutron emission durations thousands of times longer than instability growth times. While these results are consistent with thermonuclear neutron emission, energetically resolved neutron measurements are a stronger constraint on the origin of the fusion production. This stems from the strong anisotropy in energy created in beam-target fusion, compared to the relatively isotropic emission in thermonuclear fusion. In dense Z-pinch plasmas, a potential and undesirable cause of beam-target fusion reactions is the presence of fast-growing, “sausage” instabilities. This work introduces a new method for characterizing beam instabilities by recording individual neutron interactions in plastic scintillator detectors positioned at two different angles around the device chamber. Histograms of the pulse-integral spectra from the two locations are compared using detailed Monte Carlo simulations. These models infer the deuteron beam energy based on differences in the measured neutron spectra at the two angles, thereby discriminating beam-target from thermonuclear production. An analysis of neutron emission profiles from FuZE precludes the presence of deuteron beams with energies greater than 4.65 keV with a statistical uncertainty of 4.15 keV and a systematic uncertainty of 0.53 keV. This analysis demonstrates that axial, beam-target fusion reactions are not the dominant source of neutron emission from FuZE. These data are promising for scaling FuZE up to fusion reactor conditions.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

Study on corrections of dose images obtained with Gafchromic EBT3 films for measurements in phantoms irradiated with proton beams

The response of Gafchromic EBT3 films depends on the LET of radiation. Some EBT3 films were exposed, in a solid-water phantom, to proton beams of various energies and the obtained depth-dose profiles were compared with the calculated profiles. As expected, a consistent reduction of the response in the Bragg peak region was observed. The ratio of measured and calculated values was evaluated, along dose profiles, for some energies of the incident proton beam. A method for correcting the dose images obtained with EBT3 films has been proposed and tested. The results confirm that the proposed method can be advantageous for achieving spatial distribution of the absorbed dose in proton therapy and deserves to be exhaustively developed. (authors)

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗

Beam steering at the nanosecond time scale with an atomically thin reflector

Techniques to mold the flow of light on subwavelength scales enable fundamentally new optical systems and device applications. The realization of programmable, active optical systems with fast, tunable components is among the outstanding challenges in the field. Here, we experimentally demonstrate a few-pixel beam steering device based on electrostatic gate control of excitons in an atomically thin semiconductor with strong light-matter interactions. By combining the high reflectivity of a MoSe 2 monolayer with a graphene split-gate geometry, we shape the wavefront phase profile to achieve continuously tunable beam deflection with a range of 10°, two-dimensional beam steering, and switching times down to 1.6 nanoseconds. Our approach opens the door for a new class of atomically thin optical systems, such as rapidly switchable beam arrays and quantum metasurfaces operating at their fundamental thickness limit.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

Simulation study of Hollow Electron Beam Collimation in HL-LHC.

Collimation with hollow electron beams is currently one of the most promising concepts for active halo control in the HL-LHC. In this note we evaluate the performance of a hollow electron lens for different HL-LHC scenarios in terms of halo removal rates and the effect of profile imperfections of the electron beam on the proton beam core in case of a pulsed operation of the e-lens.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗

Development and validation of a critical gradient energetic particle driven Alfven eigenmode transport model for DIII-D tilted neutral beam experiments

Recent experiments with the DIII-D tilted neutral beam injection (NBI) varying the beam energetic particle (EP) source profiles have provided strong evidence that unstable Alfven eigenmodes (AE) drive stiff EP transport at a critical EP density gradient. Here the critical gradient is identified by the local AE growth rate being equal to the local ITG/TEM growth rate at the same low toroidal mode number. The growth rates are taken from the gyrokinetic code GYRO. Simulation show that the slowing down beam-like EP distribution has a slightly lower critical gradient than the Maxwellian. The ALPHA EP density transport code, used to validate the model, combines the low-n stiff EP critical density gradient AE mid-core transport with the energy independent high-n ITG/TEM density transport model controling the central core EP density profile. For the on-axis NBI heated DIII-D shot 146102, while the net loss to the edge is small, about half the birth fast ions are transported from the central core r/a < 0.5 and the central density is about half the slowing down density. Lastly, these results are in good agreement with experimental fast ion pressure profiles inferred from MSE constrained EFIT equilibria.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

Comparison of the secondary electrons produced by proton and electron beams in water

The secondary electrons produced in water by electron and proton beams are compared with each other. The total ionization cross section (TICS) for an electron impact in water is obtained by using the binary-encounter-Bethe model. Hence, an empirical equation based on two adjustable fitting parameters is presented to determine the TICS for proton impact in media. In order to calculate the projectile trajectory, a set of stochastic differential equations based on the inelastic collision, elastic scattering, and bremsstrahlung emission are used. In accordance with the projectile trajectory, the depth dose deposition, electron energy loss distribution in a certain depth, and secondary electrons produced in water are calculated. The obtained results for the depth dose deposition and energy loss distribution in certain depth for electron and proton beams with various incident energies in media are in excellent agreement with the reported experimental data. The difference between the profiles for the depth dose deposition and production of secondary electrons for a proton beam can be ignored approximately. But, these profiles for an electron beam are completely different due to the effect of elastic scattering on electron trajectory.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

Observation of a THz-sub-THz spontaneous coherent undulator radiation driven by a low energy electron beam from a thermionic RF electron gun

In this work, we report observations of an intense, multi-band, sub-THz and THz radiation extracted from a similar to 2-3 MeV electron beam with a flat transverse profile propagating in an oversized rectangular waveguide placed into a 3.25 mm gap of a planar undulator having 1.3 cm period and similar to 20 cm length. Radiation outcoupling is accomplished using a horn antenna and a miniature permanent in-vacuum magnet separating the mm-sub-mm-waves and electron beam. A table-top experiment utilizes a radio frequency thermionic electron gun delivering a thousand momentum-chirped microbunches per macropulse and an alpha-magnet producing microbunches of a sub-mm length. Total radiated energy of a sub-millijoule per a microsecond radio frequency macropulse is demonstrated with flux more than ten micro-Joules per centimeter squared. With 1 THz filter the energy measured is about 1 microjoule and flux of a few micro-Joules per centimeter squared.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗

SU-D-213-06: Dosimetry of Modulated Electron Radiation Therapy Using Fricke Gel Dosimeter

Purpose: Modulated electron radiation therapy (MERT) has been proposed as an effective modality for treatment of superficial targets. MERT utilizes multiple beams of different energies which are intensity modulated to deliver optimized dose distribution. Energy independent dosimeters are thus needed for quantitative evaluations of MERT dose distributions and measurements of absolute doses delivered to patients. Thus in the current work we study the feasibility of Fricke gel dosimeters in MERT dosimetry. Methods: Batches of radiation sensitive Fricke gel is fabricated and poured into polymethyl methacrylate cuvettes. The samples were irradiated in solid water phantom and a thick layer of bolus was used as a buildup. A spectrophotometer system was used for measuring the color changes (the absorbance) before and after irradiation and then we calculate net absorbance. We constructed calibration curves to relate the measured absorbance in terms of absorbed dose for all available electron energies. Dosimetric measurements were performed for mixed electron beam delivery and we also performed measurement for segmented field delivery with the dosimeter placed at the junction of two adjacent electron beams of different energies. Dose measured by our gel dosimetry is compared to that calculation from our precise treatment planning system. We also initiated a Monte Carlo study to evaluate the water equivalence of our dosimeters. MCBEAM and MCSIM codes were used for treatment head simulation and phantom dose calculation. PDDs and profiles were calculated for electron beams incident on a phantom designed with 1cm slab of Fricke gel. Results: The calibration curves showed no observed energy dependence with all studied electron beam energies. Good agreement was obtained between dose calculated and that obtained by gel dosimetry. Monte Carlo results illustrated the tissue equivalency of our Gel dosimeters. Conclusion: Fricke Gel dosimeters represent a good option for the dosimetric quality assurance prior to MERT application.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗

Effect of pulsed hollow electron-lens operation on the proton beam core in LHC

Collimation with hollow electron beams is currently one of the most promising concepts for active halo control in the HL-LHC. In order to further increase the diffusion rates for a fast halo removal as e.g. desired before the squeeze, the electron lens (e-lens) can be operated in pulsed mode. In case of profile imperfections in the electron beam the pulsing of the e-lens induces noise on the proton beam which can, depending on the frequency content and strength, lead to emittance growth. In order to study the sensitivity to the pulsing pattern and the amplitude, a beam study (machine development MD) at the LHC has been proposed for August 2016 and we present in this note the preparatory simulations and estimates.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗

Electron spectroscopy analysis

The Surface Science Laboratories at the University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH) are equipped with x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS or ESCA) and Auger electron spectroscopy (AES) facilities. These techniques provide information from the uppermost atomic layers of a sample, and are thus truly surface sensitive. XPS provides both elemental and chemical state information without restriction on the type of material that can be analyzed. The sample is placed into an ultra high vacuum (UHV) chamber and irradiated with x-rays which cause the ejection of photoelectrons from the sample surface. Since x-rays do not normally cause charging problems or beam damage, XPS is applicable to a wide range of samples including metals, polymers, catalysts, and fibers. AES uses a beam of high energy electrons as a surface probe. Following electronic rearrangements within excited atoms by this probe, Auger electrons characteristic of each element present are emitted from the sample. The main advantage of electron induced AES is that the electron beam can be focused down to a small diameter and localized analysis can be carried out. On the rastering of this beam synchronously with a video display using established scanning electron microscopy techniques, physical images and chemical distribution maps of the surface can be produced. Thus very small features, such as electronic circuit elements or corrosion pits in metals, can be investigated. Facilities are available on both XPS and AES instruments for depth-profiling of materials, using a beam of argon ions to sputter away consecutive layers of material to reveal sub-surface (and even semi-bulk) analyses.

Gregory, John C.↗

SU-E-T-377: Evaluation of a Novel Transmission Detector as a Reference Chamber for Use in Beam Measurements

Purpose: To evaluate a new transmission chamber for use as a reference chamber in measurements of beam data Methods: We assessed the performance of a new transmission detector, the Stealth Chamber, manufactured by IBA (IBA Dosimetry). The chamber has an active volume of 249 cm{sup 3}, with an attenuation equivalent of <0.5mm Al. We mounted the chamber to a TrueBeam linac (Varian Medical Systems, Palo Alto, CA) such that the active area is perpendicular to the beam direction. We performed PDD and profile measurements on field sizes from 1×1 cm{sup 2} to 10×10 cm{sup 2}, as well as for a 4 mm cone. The field detector was either a CC-13 chamber (IBA Dosimetry) with an active volume of 0.13 cm{sup 3} or an Edge Detector (Sun Nuclear, Melbourne, FL) with an active volume of 0.019 cm{sup 3}. For comparison we repeated all measurements using a CC-13 or CC-01 (active volume 0.01 cm{sup 3} ) chamber as reference detectors (IBA Dosimetry).All scans were acquired using a Blue Phantom2 (IBA Dosimetry) and IBA OmniPro-Accept v7.4.24 software. Results: All measurements with the Stealth Chamber were identical to those with ion reference chambers. For both regular and filter free 6MV beams there was agreement in PDDs and profiles, including the penumbra region, for all field sizes. This was true for the 4mm cone measurement, as well. The deviation between the Stealth and ion chamber measurements was on average 0.3%. Conclusion: The Stealth Chamber gives identical beam data as a conventional ion chamber for all field sizes. The advantage of the Stealth chamber over ion chambers is its efficiency. Once mounted, there is no need to reposition the chamber with varying field sizes. This translates into a huge savings in measurement time, as well as a reduction in potential errors due to reference chamber mispositioning.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗

Initial Results From the Newly Upgraded LTX- β

LTX-β, the upgraded Lithium Tokamak Experiment, recently began its first campaign with a goal to study the transport properties of gradient-free electron temperature profile equilibria with increased toroidal field and neutral beam injection. The temperature-gradient-free equilibria in LTX were enabled by the lithium plasma-facing surface. To make the lithium surface conditions more consistent for LTX-β, a new, faster lithium evaporator system has been developed. The toroidal magnetic field has been nearly doubled to ≥0.3 T. Auxiliary heating and fueling with a high flux (35 A, 20 kV) neutral beam has begun. The beam provides core fueling without cold edge neutrals, to test whether flat temperature profiles can be sustained, and makes possible core ion temperature measurements via charge exchange recombination spectroscopy. Neutral beam fueling has been demonstrated with increases in line-integrated density. The coupling of the beam matches well with NUBEAM predictions for shine through. Improved performance has been observed following lithium evaporative coatings and an increase in field strength.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

Plasma Photonics for the Control of Kilojoule Lasers

The main goal of this project was to develop plasma photonic devices (plasma lenses or ellipsoidal plasma mirrors (EPMs)) for controlling the focus of high-energy (kJ-class) laser systems. In order to defocus a kJclass laser beam, a plasma optic must produce a very specific plasma density profile. For a plasma lens, this profile must be peaked on axis and fall off parabolicly with radius. We developed four plasma-lens target designs that were predicted to yield the ideal plasma profile required for defocusing kJ-class laser beams. Particle-in-cell (PIC) simulations using the code OSIRIS were used to explore the design. The resulting plasma lens must also be underdense, which sets an upper limit on the solid density of the plasma-lens targets to ~ 1 mg/cm 3 or less. This low of a density is highly challenging to fabricate.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗