Log on/register
PhysMath Central home | Feedback | Support | My details
 
Open AccessResearch article

Plasma focus based repetitive source of fusion neutrons and hard x-rays

V Raspa1 email, F Di Lorenzo1 email, P Knoblauch1 email, A Lazarte1 email, A Tartaglione2 email, A Clausse3 email and C Moreno1 email

1Laboratorio Plasma Focus – Instituto de Física del Plasma – Departamento de Física, FCEyN – Universidad de Buenos Aires – PLADEMA, Buenos Aires, Argentina

2IB – CAB – CNEA, Bariloche, Argentina

3PLADEMA – UNICEN – CNEA, Tandil, Argentina

author email corresponding author email

PMC Physics A 2008, 2:5doi:10.1186/1754-0410-2-5

Published: 29  October  2008

Abstract

A plasma focus device capable of operating at 0.2 pulses per second during several minutes is used as a source of hard x-rays and fast neutrons. An experimental demonstration of the use of the neutrons emissions for radiation probing of hydrogenated substances is presented, showing a particular application in detecting water concentrations differences in the proximity of the device by elastic scattering. Moreover, the device produces ultrashort hard x-rays pulses useful for introspective images of small objects, static or in fast motion, suitable for the identification of internal submillimetric defects. Clear images of metallic objects shielded by several millimeters iron walls are shown.

PACS Codes: 29.25.Dz,52.59.Px

© 1999-2008 BioMed Central Ltd unless otherwise stated. Part of Springer Science+Business Media