Pulsed Neutrons and Microwaves

from Plasma Devices

Anurag Shyam* and Rishi Verma**
*Energetics and Electromagnetics Division
Bhabha Atomic Research Centre
Gandhinagar, Gujarat, India.

**Pulsed Power Group

Institute of Plasma Research
Gandhinagar, Gujarat, India.
Institute for
Plasma Research
At Gandhinagar
Capital of State
of Gujarat
Greenest City
in the World
INSTITUTE FOR PLASMA RESEARCH
Our Pulsed Power Laboratory is probably the Largest and best Funded Laboratory
in India

Largest Pulsed Power System in India

1.5 Terra-Watt
Pulse Power System

Largest Bank (of its kind) in India

In this presentation I will discuss only those experiments

which can be conducted in a college laboratory namely
Virtual Cathode Oscillator Microwave Device
Electro Cyclotron Resonance Ion Source for Neutrons
Plasma Focus
 MOTIVE FOR THIS RESEARCH AND
DEVELOPMENT
Explosive land mines cause a large number of human
casualties every year.
Several areas, all over the world, are infested with them,
from the previous wars.
These have to located and destroyed.

Pulsed neutron sources can help in locating the mines.

High power RF/microwave devices can destroy them.

 GENERATE PLASMA

EXTRACT PARTICLES (IONS or ELECTRONS)

ACCELERATE - ENERGY TO PARTICLES

USE APPROPRITE TECHNIQUE TO PRODUCE

RF(MICROWAVE) & X-RAYs from ELECTRONS
.
NEUTRONS & ION IMPLANTATION from IONS
 TOPICS TO BE DISCUSSED IN THIS
PRESENTATION
Plasma foci for both neutron and RF/microwave
generation.

Electron cyclotron resonance based ion source for

neutron generation and ion implantation

Microwaves from a virtual cathode oscillator device and

its pulsed power driver

For these devices to be useful in actual field condition,

their efficiencies, scaling and repetition rates are to be
improved. We shall be discussing, in this presentation,
our laboratory experiments and the diagnostics
developed for this purpose.
 Neutron Sources
One of the application of pulsed neutron sources is for
detection (in conjunction with other methods) of explosive
and other illicit materials (narcotics, chemical weapon
agents, nuclear materials).
The two techniques we are investigating are
1)Using low energy neutron (D-D fusion) and discovering
the presence of hydrogen by elastic scattering (TNA).
2)Using high energy neutrons for in-elastics scattering
and resultant gamma rays emission for elemental
identification (PFNA)
 Neutron Sources
In a typical (accelerator
based) neutron generators
deuterons, from an ion
source, are accelerated and
impinged on a
tritiated/deuterated target.
We are developing these
systems in our laboratory.
However Plasma focus is an
all in one device. However its
repetition rate, life (with one
filling and tritium handling
needs to be improved. Our
laboratory is working in this
direction.
 DEVELOPMENT of PLASMA FOCUS as
PULSED NEUTRON SOURCE

Energy: 23kJ Neutrons > 109/dis.

Plasma
Focus dI/dt

Driver
Capacitors
X-Rays
Neutrons
 Repetitively Operating Compact D-D
PLASMA FOCUS
ANODE LENGTH OF THE PLASMA FOCUS 45 mm.
DIAMETER OF THE ANODE AND GLASS INSULATOR 12mm.
PLASMA FOCUS CHAMBER USED AS A CATHODE DIA 38 mm.

Capacitor bank: 1 μF,

40 kV
Switch: SCR

Repetition Rate: 1 Hz Plasma

Neutrons/Dis (DD): > Focus
106

Number of
discharges in one Battery Powered Capacitor
filling ~ 100
Bank with Solid State Switch
Multiple Plasma Focus Device

Plasma Focus:
Energy: 5.7 kJ
Current: 200 kA
Neutrons ~ 108 (D-D)
Five such devices will be used
sequence
To increase the repetition rate and
total number of shots.
Target Rate is 50 Discharges/s
And 1000 discharges before gas
change.
CURRENT PLASMA
FOCUS DEVELOPMENT
For D-T Filling
Very Compact for low tritium
inventory.
Low pressure operation (~0.5
mb).
Low Voltage Operations 4 kV for CAPACITORS
compactness and IGBT as 10 cm long
switch.
Four commercial capacitors of 2
µF (~64 J). Current ~ 52 kA.
105-106 DD neutrons.
Rep Rate 3 Hz (Target > 10 Hz) PLASMA
Half Neutron Life 15 shots FOCUS
(Target 1000 shots)
Cost of System ~ $ 100.
Can be used as disposable
neutron cartridges
 Schematic of High Voltage Neutron Generator

Ion
Source

The heart of this system is Electron Cyclotron Resonance Ion Source

Principle of Electron Cyclotron Resonance
Electron Cyclotron Resonance (3 mA) Deuterium
Ion Source in our Laboratory
ECR ion source
is an small mirror devices with plasma
being generated by microwave and ion
extracted by high voltage on one end.
The mirror has been built using 2 sets of
four bar shaped (NdFeB -0.9 T –
commercially available) permanent
magnets.
The microwave (300 W, 2.45 GHz) is
injected using a (dismantled) microwave
cooking oven.
A current ~ 1 mA of deuterium (10-3 mB
pressure) can be extracted with 5 KV
pulses.
Technology is not too complex and
inexpensive (< $ 300).
The device can be used for ion
implantation and neutron generation
Pulsed Microwave Generator
 Pulsed Microwave Generator
It is fairly easy to fabricate and operate a Vircator (as
easy as plasma focus)
The pulsed power system is a bit more technologically
challenging (1 GW Vircator, which may be requires for
demining, requires ~1 MV, ~60 kA, 50 ns system.)
However, for laboratory studies, we have developed
vircator, which operate at ~100 kV, ~8 kA system.
Simple pulse transformer, using RG-213, cable has been
developed.
A RG-218 based pulse forming line has been developed.
This makes the system technologically simple.
The cost of the system is < $ 1000
 TESLA TRANSFORMER - WATER PFL - VIRCATOR

Voltage - 500 kV
Current - 35 kA

Current
100 kA

WATER
SPARK
PFL
GAP
VIRCATOR

PULSE
TRANSFORMER
 DISPOSABLE TESLA TRANSFORMER and
DISPOSABLE SOLID DIELECTRIC PULSE FORMING
LINE & HPM-VIRCATOR
VIRCATOR: 100 kV, 12.5 ohm 2.5 GHz Neon Lamp Glow
With VIRCATOR Operating

VIRCATOR

With only Pulsed Power

Operating (VIRCATOR Off)
THANK YOU
FOR YOUR
ATTENTION