Particle beam source development

Electron beam research directed toward providing improved in-diode pinched beam sources and establishing the efficiency and feasibility for superposition of many beams progressed in three major areas. Focusing stability has been improved from large effective aspect ratio (radius/gap of emitting surface) diodes. Substantial progress toward establishing the feasibility of combining beams guided along ionized current-carrying channels has been made. Two beams have been transported and overlayed on a target. Theoretical and experimental measurements on channel formation have resulted in specifications for the capacitor bank channel initiation system for a 12-beam combination experiment on Proto II. An additional area of beam research has been the development of a small pulsed X-ray source to yield high quality flash X-radiography of pellets. A source yielding approximately 100-μm resolution of objects has been demonstrated and work continues to improve the convenience and reliability of this source. The effort to extend the capability of higher power conventional pulse power generators to accelerate ions (rather than electrons), and assess the feasibility of this technology variation for target experiments and reactors has progressed. Progress toward development of a multistage accelerator for ions with pulse power technology centered on development of a new laboratory facility and design and procurement of hardware for a five-stage test apparatus for the Pulslac concept