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At least 883 records · Page 49

Validation of magnetized gas-jet experiments to investigate the effects of an external magnetic field on laser-plasma instabilities

Laser-plasma instabilities (LPI) play a detrimental role in energy coupling to the target in inertial confinement fusion (ICF). The recent development of applied strong magnetic fields for use in ICF and laboratory astrophysics experiments has opened opportunities to investigate the role of external magnetic fields on LPIs. Recent numerical studies have shown that stimulated Raman scattering (SRS) can be mitigated by external magnetic fields in the kinetic regime of the instability and warrant systematic experimental studies to validate modelling. To this end, we design experiments at the OMEGA-EP laser facility to investigate the effect of an external perpendicular B-field of 5–30 T on the backscattered light spectrum from a gas-jet target. We present measurements from a proof-of-principle experiment, where the backward-SRS (BSRS) is in the kinetic regime, for which the magnetization is expected to produce the greatest effects on instability growth. New simulations motivated by this experiment are used to inform the proposal of an upgraded experimental design. Our simulation predictions show that the new design is suited to experimentally demonstrating BSRS mitigation by an external magnetic field, despite the magnetization effects on the hydrodynamics, as well as the inherent temporal and spatial variations in plasma conditions.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

Solid State Quantum Refrigeration Superconducting, Absorption and Measurement Based (Final Technical Report)

During this DOE grant, DE-SC0017890, in place for the past six years, all proposed research was carried out and published in peer-reviewed papers, as well as other projects that emerged during the research. In that effort the research team accomplished all proposed research, as well as many closely related research projects discovered and conceived of during the grant. These works included “Efficient Quantum Measurement Engines”, a work published in Physical Review Letters, giving a theory of quantum measurement-based engines, which uses quantum measurement as a resource. These engines are designed to efficiently convert energy from the stochastic quantum measurement process into useful work. Further publications include “Experimental Realization of a Quantum Dot Energy Harvester”, a joint theory and experimental work in collaboration with the group of Charles Smith in Cambridge, UK, as well as long time theoretical collaborators, Rafael Sánchez and Björn Sothmann. This work, featured as an Editor’s Suggestion in Physical Review Letters, realized an earlier theoretical proposal of ours, whereby two resonant tunneling quantum dots are connected to a central electronic cavity that is heated by a hot energy source. We also published “Superconducting Quantum Refrigerator: Breaking and Rejoining Cooper Pairs with Magnetic Field Cycles” a work done in collaboration with experimentalist Francesco Giazotto from ENS Pisa, Italy, which also resulted in a patent. This paper, published in Phys. Rev. Applied, advanced the concept of a cyclic fridge based on the normal/superconducting phase transition together with layered materials separated by tunnel junctions. We also completed the proposed research on a heat transistor, publishing “Thermal transistor and thermometer based on Coulomb-coupled conductors”, carried out as a collaboration between my group and theorists Splettstoesser (Lund U., Sweden), Sothmann (U. Duisburg-Essen, Germany), and Sánchez (U. Autónoma de Madrid, Spain). We carried out an analysis of a quantum coupled to a quantum point contact as a sensitive thermometer and heat transistor. We found the optimal statistical estimator for the temperature and compared it with experiments on the same type of devices. We also investigated autonomous quantum absorption refrigerators using quantum dots to cool by using a very hot thermal reservoir to drive heat between two other reservoirs. In the article “Quantifying the quantum heat contribution from a driven superconducting circuit”, we demonstrated that for a driven superconducting circuit, we showed heat flow provided by a hot source to the qubit can be switched on and off by varying external parameters, the frequency and the intensity of the driving. In the work “Stochastic thermodynamic cycles of a mesoscopic thermoelectric engine”, we reconsidered the autonomous thermoelectric heat engine in terms of underlying cycles. Rather than periodic behavior, the cycles were stochastic in nature. Nevertheless, by undertaking a graph theoretical analysis of the elementary transport processed, great quantitative and qualitative insight could be found. We also considered the quantum measurement process and showed that a quantum version of Maxwell’s demon could be related to the work extraction of a quantum system, closely related to arrow-of-time measures for quantum measurement, as described in our article “Thermodynamics of quantum measurement and Maxwell's demon's arrow of time”. This work was selected in Phys. Rev. A as an Editor’s Suggestion. A recent preprint titled “Cyclic Superconducting Quantum Refrigerators Using Guided Fluxon Propagation” accomplished an important piece of this grant: to propose a new kind of quantum refrigerator using the dynamics of fluxons in a type II superconductor. This invention envisioned a race-track type geometry where fluxons are confined. By applying a gradient of magnetic field together with electric current in a Corbino geometry, the circulating fluxons can actively cool a cold reservoir, realizing a new type of cyclic superconducting refrigerator. We also investigated the possibility of thermal control from different points of view. The application of quantum measurement to the system gives a new kind of control on the system of interest – we have pioneered this approach and shown that measurement can boost the thermal power of quantum engines as described in “Continuous measurement boosted adiabatic quantum thermal machines”. The ability to have heat flows on demand is an outstanding challenge, and we have provided new solutions to this problem in Thermal control across a chain of electronic nanocavities” for a chain of electron cavities using gating voltage control. The control methods using qubit/qubit coupling to create absorption fridges at their most fundamental level have also been developed.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Measuring magnetic flux suppression in high-power laser–plasma interactions

Here, Biermann battery magnetic field generation driven by high power laser–solid interactions is explored in experiments performed with the OMEGA EP laser system. Proton deflectometry captures changes to the strength, spatial profile, and temporal dynamics of the self-generated magnetic fields as the target material or laser intensity is varied. Measurements of the magnetic flux during the interaction are used to help validate extended magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) simulations. Results suggest that kinetic effects cause suppression of the Biermann battery mechanism in laser–plasma interactions relevant to both direct and indirect-drive inertial confinement fusion. Experiments also find that more magnetic flux is generated as the target atomic number is increased, which is counter to a standard MHD understanding.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

Topological bifurcation of magnetic islands in NSTX-U

The topological bifurcation of magnetic islands is observed in two M3D-C1 linear resistive MHD calculations of model NSTX-U equilibria during the application of small 3D magnetic perturbation fields. In comparing to a DIII-D ELM suppression case, reconstructed from shot 147170 at time slice 3745 ms, we propose that stronger kink response in the NSTX-U plasma may be the primary causes of the bifurcations. Island evolution and bifurcation in both the DIII-D and the two NSTX-U cases with the increase of perturbation current are analyzed. Further, a hypothesis is proposed that such magnetic island topology bears an intrinsic property to confine charged particles and cause their density inside the islands to rise, which is examined by implementing a random kick algorithm in the magnetic field line integration code TRIP3D-GPU to approximate electron collisional transport. Although full consideration of all forces between electrons is missing as it requires 3D large scale kinetic simulation in toroidal geometry, the positive result of this approximate transport simulation does provide first step confirmation towards fully validating the hypothesis.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

Emergent Magnetic State in (111)-Oriented Quasi-Two-Dimensional Spinel Oxides

We report on the emergent magnetic state of (111)-oriented CoCr 2 O 4 ultrathin films sandwiched between Al 2 O 3 spacer layers in a quantum confined geometry. At the two-dimensional crossover, polarized neutron reflectometry reveals an anomalous enhancement of the total magnetization compared to the bulk value. Synchrotron X-ray magnetic circular dichroism measurements demonstrate the appearance of a long-range ferromagnetic ordering of spins on both Co and Cr sublattices. Furthermore, brillouin function analyses and ab-initio density functional theory calculations further corroborate that the observed phenomena are due to the strongly altered magnetic frustration invoked by quantum confinement effects, manifested by the onset of a Yafet–Kittel-type ordering as the magnetic ground state in the ultrathin limit, which is unattainable in the bulk.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Precise stellarator quasi-symmetry can be achieved with electromagnetic coils

Magnetic fields with quasi-symmetry are known to provide good confinement of charged particles and plasmas, but the extent to which quasi-symmetry can be achieved in practice has remained an open question. Recent work [M. Landreman and E. Paul, Phys. Rev. Lett. 128, 035001, 2022] reports the discovery of toroidal magnetic fields that are quasi-symmetric to orders-of-magnitude higher precision than previously known fields. We show that these fields can be accurately produced using electromagnetic coils of only moderate engineering complexity, that is, coils that have low curvature and that are sufficiently separated from each other. Our results demonstrate that these new quasi-symmetric fields are relevant for applications requiring the confinement of energetic charged particles for long time scales, such as nuclear fusion. The coils’ length plays an important role for how well the quasi-symmetric fields can be approximated. For the longest coil set considered and a mean field strength of 1 T, the departure from quasi-symmetry is of the order of Earth’s magnetic field. Additionally, we find that magnetic surfaces extend far outside the plasma boundary used by Landreman and Paul, providing confinement far from the core. Simulations confirm that the magnetic fields generated by the new coils confine particles with high kinetic energy substantially longer than previously known coil configurations. In particular, when scaled to a reactor, the best found configuration loses only 0.04% of energetic particles born at midradius when following guiding center trajectories for 200 ms.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

Plasma Facing Components and Advanced System Design:A technical review of FY14-17 work

Fusion energy holds the promise of being a major source of world energy in this century and beyond. One of the two major approaches to controlled fusion is confinement of hot plasma gas by strong magnetic fields. Many countries have experimental devices, and ITER is a large international collaboration device being built in France with U.S. participation. Because fusion gain of the deuterium/tritium (D/T) plasma fuel increases strongly with temperature, increasing the core-plasma energy confinement time, tE, has been a key requirement. With excellent progress on increasing tE, considerable attention has turned to other requirements for an economical power plant. Because core plasma tE will always be finite, plasma is exhausted from the core and strikes surrounding material surfaces with peak heat fluxes that challenge the structural integrity of present-day materials. Furthermore, sputtering of such material can introduce impurities into the core that radiate energy or dilute the D/T fuel, thereby reducing fusion gain. Simulationbased assessments of such plasma/wall interactions is the goal of the two projects described here.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Effects of growth rate and dynamic substrate tilt on properties of Au-Ta alloy films deposited by high-power impulse magnetron sputtering

Gold-tantalum (Au—Ta) alloys are promising for next-generation hohlraums for magnetically-assisted indirect-drive inertial confinement fusion. Hohlraum fabrication involves sputter deposition of ultrathick coatings on sphero-cylindrical substrates. The control of physical properties of such coatings remains a challenge. Here, in this work, we systematically study effects of the growth rate and dynamic substrate tilt on properties of AuTa 4 films deposited onto rotating planar substrates mounted at different tilt angles to mimic different regions of the sphero-cylindrical surface of a hohlraum. We use high-power impulse magnetron sputtering (HiPIMS) in the constant charge per pulse mode with a pulse duration of 100 μs, a charge per pulse of 190 μC, a peak target current of about 3 A, and the pulse frequency varied in the range of 400–1400 Hz. The Langmuir probe, mass-resolved ion energy spectrometry, and optical emission spectroscopy are used to monitor plasma discharge characteristics in order to isolate and study effects of the growth rate. The deposition rate and the ballistics and energetics of depositing species are estimated by Monte Carlo simulations. Results show that the film microstructure, crystallographic phase, residual stress, and electrical resistivity strongly depend on both the deposition rate and substrate tilt, highlighting their critical role in tailoring properties of Au—Ta films during hohlraum fabrication.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Generalized fluid theory including non-Maxwellian kinetic effects

The results obtained by the plasma physics community for the validation and the prediction of turbulence and transport in magnetized plasmas come mainly from the use of very central processing unit (CPU)-consuming particle-in-cell or (gyro)kinetic codes which naturally include non-Maxwellian kinetic effects. To date, fluid codes are not considered to be relevant for the description of these kinetic effects. Here, after revisiting the limitations of the current fluid theory developed in the 19th century, we generalize the fluid theory including kinetic effects such as non-Maxwellian super-thermal tails with as few fluid equations as possible. The collisionless and collisional fluid closures from the nonlinear Landau Fokker–Planck collision operator are shown for an arbitrary collisionality. Indeed, the first fluid models associated with two examples of collisionless fluid closures are obtained by assuming an analytic non-Maxwellian distribution function. One of the main differences with the literature is our analytic representation of the distribution function in the velocity phase space with as few hidden variables as possible thanks to the use of non-orthogonal basis sets. These new non-Maxwellian fluid equations could initiate the next generation of fluid codes including kinetic effects and can be expanded to other scientific disciplines such as astrophysics, condensed matter or hydrodynamics. As a validation test, we perform a numerical simulation based on a minimal reduced INMDF fluid model. The result of this test is the discovery of the origin of particle and heat diffusion. The diffusion is due to the competition between a growing INMDF on short time scales due to spatial gradients and the thermalization on longer time scales. Here, the results shown here could provide the insights to break some of the unsolved puzzles of turbulence.

42 ENGINEERING↗

Omnigenous umbilic stellarators

To better understand the dependence of the magnetic field structure in the plasma edge on the plasma boundary shape, in the context of X-point and island divertor designs, we define and develop a class of stellarators called umbilic stellarators. These equilibria are characterised by a single continuous high-curvature edge on the plasma boundary that goes around multiple times toroidally before meeting itself. We develop a technique that allows us to simultaneously optimise the plasma boundary along with a curve lying on the boundary on which we impose a high curvature while imposing omnigenity – a property of the magnetic field that ensures trapped particle confinement throughout the plasma volume. We find that umbilic stellarators naturally tend to favour piecewise omnigenity instead of omnigenity with a specific helicity. After generating omnigenous umbilic stellarators, we design coil sets for some of them and explore the fieldline structure in the edge and its sensitivity to small fluctuations in the plasma. Finally, using single-stage optimisation, we simultaneously modify the plasma and coil shape and propose an experiment to modify an existing tokamak to a finite-𝛽 stellarator using this technique and explore a potentially simpler way to convert a limited tokamak into a diverted stellarator.

fusion plasma↗

Laser-induced fluorescence measurements of argon and xenon ion velocities near the sheath boundary in 3 ion species plasmas

The Bohm sheath criterion is studied with laser-induced fluorescence in three ion species plasmas using two tunable diode lasers. Krypton is added to a low pressure unmagnetized DC hot filament discharge in a mixture of argon and xenon gas confined by surface multi-dipole magnetic fields. The argon and xenon ion velocity distribution functions are measured at the sheath-presheath boundary near a negatively biased boundary plate. The potential structures of the plasma sheath and presheath are measured by an emissive probe. Results are compared with previous experiments with Ar–Xe plasmas, where the two ion species were observed to reach the sheath edge at nearly the same speed. This speed was the ion sound speed of the system, which is consistent with the generalized Bohm criterion. In such two ion species plasmas, instability enhanced collisional friction was demonstrated [Hershkowitz et al., Phys. Plasmas 18(5), 057102 (2011).] to exist which accounted for the observed results. When three ion species are present, it is demonstrated under most circumstances the ions do not fall out of the plasma at their individual Bohm velocities. It is also shown that under most circumstances the ions do not fall out of the plasma at the system sound speed. These observations are also consistent with the presence of the instabilities.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

Lower hybrid wave edge power loss quantification on the Alcator C-Mod tokamak

For the first time, the power deposition of lower hybrid RF waves into the edge plasma of a diverted tokamak has been systematically quantified. Edge deposition represents a parasitic loss of power that can greatly impact the use and efficiency of Lower Hybrid Current Drive (LHCD) at reactor-relevant densities. Through the use of a unique set of fast time resolution edge diagnostics, including innovative fast-thermocouples, an extensive set of Langmuir probes, and a Lyα ionization camera, the toroidal, poloidal, and radial structure of the power deposition has been simultaneously determined. Power modulation was used to directly isolate the RF effects due to the prompt (t<τ E ) response of the scrape-off-layer (SOL) plasma to Lower Hybrid Radiofrequency (LHRF) power. LHRF power was found to absorb more strongly in the edge at higher densities. It is found that a majority of this edge-deposited power is promptly conducted to the divertor. This correlates with the loss of current drive efficiency at high density previously observed on Alcator C-Mod, and displaying characteristics that contrast with the local RF edge absorption seen on other tokamaks. Measurements of ionization in the active divertor show dramatic changes due to LHRF power, implying that divertor region can be a key for the LHRF edge power deposition physics. These observations support the existence of a loss mechanism near the edge for LHRF at high density (n e >1.0×10 20 (m -3 )). Results will be shown addressing the distribution of power within the SOL, including the toroidal symmetry and radial distribution. Finally, these characteristics are important for deducing the cause of the reduced LHCD efficiency at high density and motivate the tailoring of wave propagation to minimize SOL interaction, for example, through the use of high-field-side launch.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

Tearing mode dynamics and locking in the presence of external magnetic perturbations

In normal operation, Madison Symmetric Torus (MST) [R. N. Dexter et al., Fusion Technol. 19, 131 (1991)] reversed-field pinch plasmas exhibit several rotating tearing modes (TMs). Application of a resonant magnetic perturbation (RMP) results in braking of mode rotation and, if the perturbation amplitude is sufficiently high, in a wall-locked state. The coils that produce the magnetic perturbation in MST give rise to RMPs with several toroidal harmonics. As a result, simultaneous deceleration of all modes is observed. In this paper, the measured TM dynamics is shown to be in qualitative agreement with a magnetohydrodynamical model of the RMP interaction with the TM [R. Fitzpatrick, Nucl. Fusion 33, 1049 (1993)] adapted to MST. To correctly model the TM dynamics, the electromagnetic torque acting on several TMs is included. Quantitative agreement of the TM slowing-down time was obtained for a kinematic viscosity in the order of ν k i n ≈ 10 – 20 m 2 /s. Analysis of discharges with different plasma densities shows an increase of the locking threshold with increasing density. Modeling results show good agreement with the experimental trend, assuming a density-independent kinematic viscosity. Finally, comparison of the viscosity estimates in this paper to those made previously with other techniques in MST plasmas suggests the possibility that the RMP technique may allow for estimates of the viscosity over a broad range of plasmas in MST and other devices.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

Radially scanning magnetic probes to study local helicity injection dynamics

Two new magnetic probes have been deployed on the Pegasus spherical tokamak to study the dynamics of local helicity injection non-solenoidal plasma start-up and current drive. The magnetic radial array probe consists of 15 pickup coils (~5 × 8 mm each) that measure B z (R) over a 15 cm linear extent. The coils consist of traces embedded in a printed circuit board. Three coil designs are utilized to balance frequency response and coil sensitivity. Helmholtz coil measurements are used to measure coil and full assembly bandwidths (~2 MHz and ~200 kHz, respectively) and sensitivities (0.18/0.35/0.96 mV T -1 s). The magnetic radial scanning probe is an array of Hall effect sensors that measure field strength ( |B| 177 mT) and direction at 8 spatial points (ΔR = 1.5 cm), supporting the studies of equilibrium field structure and low-frequency (≤5 kHz) current dynamics. It uses commercial surface-mount Hall effect sensors with chip-integrated amplifiers and compensators that are mounted in a 3-D printed frame. Helmholtz coil measurements indicate negligible cross-field gain nonlinearity and provide absolute calibration of the diagnostic. Both probes are constructed as an electrostatically shielded insertable air-side assembly that mounts within a radially translatable ultrahigh vacuum assembly from an existing probe.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

Modeling the one-dimensional imager of neutrons (ODIN) for neutron response functions at the Sandia Z facility

The one-dimensional imager of neutrons (ODIN) at the Sandia Z facility consists of a 10-cm block of tungsten with rolled edges, creating a slit imager with slit widths of either 250, 500, or 750 μm. Designed with a 1-m neutron imaging line of sight, we achieve about 4:1 magnification and 500-μm axial spatial resolution. The baseline inertial confinement fusion concept at Sandia is magnetized liner inertial fusion, which nominally creates a 1-cm line source of neutrons. ODIN was designed to determine the size, shape, and location of the neutron producing region, furthering the understanding of compression quality along the cylindrical axis of magnetized liner implosions. Challenges include discriminating neutrons from hard x-rays and gammas with adequate signal-to-noise in the 2 × 10 12 deuterium-deuterium (DD) neutron yield range, as well as understanding the point spread function of the imager to various imaging detectors (namely, CR-39). Modeling efforts were conducted with MCNP6.1 to determine neutron response functions for varying configurations in a clean DD neutron environment (without x-rays or gammas). Configuration alterations that will be shown include rolled-edge slit orientation and slit width, affecting the resolution and response function. The experiment to determine CR-39 neutron sensitivity, with and without a high density polyethylene (n, p) converter, an edge spread function, and resolution will be discussed.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗

Room-temperature spin-to-charge conversion in sputtered bismuth selenide thin films via spin pumping from yttrium iron garnet

We investigated spin-to-charge current conversion in sputtered Y 3 Fe 5 O 12 (YIG)/granular bismuth selenide (GBS) bi-layers at room temperature. The spin current is pumped to the GBS layer by the precession of magnetization at ferromagnetic resonance in the YIG layer. The spin-mixing conductance is determined to be as large as (13.64 ± 1.32) × 10 18 m -2 , which is larger than that of YIG/Pt and comparable or better than that of YIG/crystalline bismuth selenide indicating that GBS is a good spin-sink. The figure of merit of spin-to-charge conversion, the inverse Edelstein effect length ( λ IEE ), is estimated to be as large as (0.11 ± 0.03) nm. λ IEE shows GBS film thickness dependence, and its value is three times as large as in crystalline bismuth selenide. The λ IEE value larger than that of crystalline bismuth selenide and other topological insulators indicates that the spin-to-charge conversion is due to the spin-momentum locking. As the thickness of GBS increases, λ IEE decreases, which means the figure-of-merit of spin-to-charge conversion is influenced by grain size.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

Gyrokinetic particle simulations of interactions between energetic particles and magnetic islands induced by neoclassical tearing modes

Interactions between energetic particles (EPs) and neoclassical tearing mode (NTM) islands in the DIII-D tokamak are studied using the global gyrokinetic toroidal code (GTC). GTC simulations find that the EP radial profile is partially flattened within the magnetic island regions and that there are stochastic regions in the particle phase space. Radial particle flux is induced mainly around the magnetic island regions and decreases with time to almost zero when the initial EP distribution achieves a new steady-state in the absence of EP sources. Stochastic regions of magnetic field lines induced by the superposition of multiple islands have weak effects on the particle flux when the width of stochastic regions is smaller than the EP drift orbit width. In conclusion, the perturbed parallel EP current induced by the magnetic islands has weak stabilizing effects on the linear growth rate of the NTM instability in this DIII-D experiment.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

Computational analysis of ion orbital loss in diverted positive- and negative-triangularity tokamaks

The mechanism of ion orbital loss in diverted negative-triangularity (NT) tokamaks is significantly different from that of positive-triangularity (PT) tokamaks. The orbital loss from the edge of NT tokamaks can be quite large, because the separatrix X-point is located on the outboard side, meaning that trapped ions crossing the separatrix are lost to the inboard divertor plate after a mirror reflection on the side of the strong magnetic field. NT tokamaks have difficulties in building up steep pressure gradients in the edge regions. However, the majority of trapped ions crossing the separatrix in PT tokamaks survive (through complete banana motions) without reaching the X-point region. For NT tokamaks, topological changes in the trapped ion trajectories can be achieved in the presence of the radial electric field, thus reducing the orbital loss, whereas for PT tokamaks, the orbital loss is relatively insensitive to the radial electric field.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗