Plasma and Beam Physics Commons^™

Particle-In-Cell Simulations Of Ion Dynamics In A Pinched-Beam Diode, Jesse C. Foster, John W. Mcclory, S. B. B. Swanekamp, D. D. Hinshelwood, A. S. Richardson, Paul E. Adamson, J. W. Schumer, R. W. James, P. F. Ottinger, D. Mosher

Faculty Publications

article-in-cell simulations of a 1.6 MV, 800 kA, and 50 ns pinched-beam diode have been completed with emphasis placed on the quality of the ion beams produced. Simulations show the formation of multiple regions in the electron beam flow characterized by locally high charge and current density (“hot spots”). As ions flow through the electron-space-charge cloud, these hot spots electrostatically attract ions to produce a non-uniform ion current distribution. The length of the cavity extending beyond the anode-to-cathode gap (i.e., behind the cathode tip) influences both the number and amplitude of hot spots. A longer cavity length increases the number …

Foundations Of Plasmas For Medical Applications, T. Von Woedtke, Mounir Laroussi, M. Gherardi

Electrical & Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

Plasma medicine refers to the application of nonequilibrium plasmas at approximately body temperature, for therapeutic purposes. Nonequilibrium plasmas are weakly ionized gases which contain charged and neutral species and electric fields, and emit radiation, particularly in the visible and ultraviolet range. Medically-relevant cold atmospheric pressure plasma (CAP) sources and devices are usually dielectric barrier discharges and nonequilibrium atmospheric pressure plasma jets. Plasma diagnostic methods and modelling approaches are used to characterize the densities and fluxes of active plasma species and their interaction with surrounding matter. In addition to the direct application of plasma onto living tissue, the treatment of liquids …

Electrothermal Plenum Thruster Simulations Varying Input Pressure And Voltage, Naomi Nicole Ingram

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

A radiofrequency electrothermal thruster is designed and simulated to create a low ionization energy plasma from a neutral propellant using a radio-frequency power. With an asymmetrical surface area ratio between the grounded and powered electrode, ion-neutral charge exchange collisions occurring within the propellant result in propellant heating. The Electrothermal Plenum Thruster conducts this propellant heating in an annular plenum chamber in attempt to maximize propellant heating. A software called CFD-ACE+ is utilized to demonstrate the effects of an enhanced sheath from the asymmetrical power coupling arrangement. Two sets of simulations are run to understand how input variables affect the plasma …

Lattice Optics Optimization For Recirculatory Energy Recovery Linacs With Multi-Objective Optimization, Isurumali Neththikumara, Todd Satogata, Alex Bogacz, Ryan Bodenstein, Arthur Vandenhoeke

College of Sciences Posters

Beamline optics design for recirculatory linear accelerators requires special attention to suppress beam instabilities arising due to collective effects. The impact of these collective effects becomes more pronounced with the addition of energy recovery (ER) capability. Jefferson Lab’s multi-pass, multi-GeV ER proposal for the CEBAF accelerator, ER@CEBAF, is a 10- pass ER demonstration with low beam current. Tighter control of the beam parameters at lower energies is necessary to avoid beam break-up (BBU) instabilities, even with a small beam current. Optics optimizations require balancing both beta excursions at high-energy passes and overfocusing at low-energy passes. Here, we discuss an optics …

Whistler Waves: Modeling And Observations, Daniel Williams

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

The thesis presents the results of all the research from the published and in publication process research in the Journal of Geophysical Research [1]. This research focuses on whistler wave ducting events in the equatorial magnetosphere. High-density ducts are the main focus of whistler study in both studies as they are commonly observed by the Van Allen Probe satellites. A three-step procedure based on the analysis of the whistler wave dispersion relation and numerical simulations of the electron magnetohydrodynamics model. We use this model to identify the parallel and perpendicular wave numbers of the “most trapped” wave in an attempt …

Mms Observations Of The Kelvin-Helmholtz Instability And Associated Ion Scale Waves, Rachel C. Rice

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

The detailed mechanisms coupling the solar wind to Earth's magnetosphere are not yet fully understood. Solar wind plasma is heated non-adiabatically as it penetrates the magnetosphere, and this process must span scale sizes. Reconnection alone is not able to account for the observed heating; other mechanisms must be at work. One potential process is the Kelvin-Helmholtz instability (KHI). The KHI is a convective instability which operates at the fluid scale in plasmas, but is capable of driving secondary process at smaller scales. Previous work has shown evidence of magnetic reconnection, various ion scale wave modes, mode conversion, and turbulence associated …

Pseudo-Modal Expansions For Generating Random Electromagnetic Beams, Milo W. Hyde Iv, Olga Korotkova

Faculty Publications

Excerpt: We derive two pseudo-modal expansions that provide insight into the structure of stationary electromagnetic sources and can be used for their physical realization and in computer simulations. Both expansions are derived from the vectorial version of Bochner’s theorem of functional analysis.

Numerical Investigations Of 2-D Magnetic Nozzles On Pulsed Plasma Plumes, Joshua Daniel Burch

Masters Theses

"This research presents studies of a novel type of magnetic nozzle that allows for three-dimensional (3-D) steering of a plasma plume. Numerical simulations were performed using Tech-X's USim® software to quantify the nozzle's capabilities. A2-D planar magnetic nozzle was applied to plumes of a nominal pulsed inductive plasma (PIP) source with discharge parameters similar to those of Missouri S&T's Missouri Plasmoid Experiment (MPX). Argon and xenon plumes were considered. Simulations were verified and validated through a mesh convergence study as well as comparison with available experimental data. Periodicity was achieved over the simulation run time and phase angle samples were …

Comparing Twins Ion Temperature Maps With Mms, Ampere, And Themis Observations During July 26, 2017 Reconnection Event, Isabella M. Householder

Honors Theses and Capstones

The solar wind releases a constant stream of ionized particles into space which causes complex behaviors to occur within Earth’s magnetosphere. These disruptions can initiate magnetic reconnection and cause flow reversal of ions in the magnetotail. Two flow reversal events were locally detected by the Magnetospheric Multiscale Mission (MMS) on July 26, 2017 at 0700 UT and 0730 UT. The Two Wide-Angle Imaging Neutral-Atom Spectrometers (TWINS) provide a global measurement of heated signatures of the magnetic field and detected an increase in ion temperature during these reconnection events without the presence of a geomagnetic storm. Active Magnetosphere and Planetary Electrodynamics …

A Laser Frequency Transverse Modulation Might Compensate For The Spectral Broadening Due To Large Electron Energy Spread In Thomson Sources, Vittoria Petrillo, Illya Drebot, Geoffrey Krafft, Cesare Maroli, Andrea R. Rossi, Marcello Rossetti Conti, Marcel Ruijter, Balša Terzić

Physics Faculty Publications

Compact laser plasma accelerators generate high-energy electron beams with increasing quality. When used in inverse Compton backscattering, however, the relatively large electron energy spread jeopardizes potential applications requiring small bandwidths. We present here a novel interaction scheme that allows us to compensate for the negative effects of the electron energy spread on the spectrum, by introducing a transverse spatial frequency modulation in the laser pulse. Such a laser chirp, together with a properly dispersed electron beam, can substantially reduce the broadening of the Compton bandwidth due to the electron energy spread. We show theoretical analysis and numerical simulations for hard …

Direct Current Magnetic Hall Probe Technique For Measurement Of Field Penetration In Thin Film Superconductors For Superconducting Radio Frequency Resonators, Iresha Harshani Senevirathne, Alex Gurevich, Jean Delayen

Physics Faculty Publications

Superconducting Radio Frequency (SRF) cavities used in particle accelerators are typically formed from or coated with superconducting materials. Currently, high purity niobium is the material of choice for SRF cavities that have been optimized to operate near their theoretical field limits. This brings about the need for significant R & D efforts to develop next generation superconducting materials that could outperform Nb and keep up with the demands of new accelerator facilities. To achieve high quality factors and accelerating gradients, the cavity material should be able to remain in the superconducting Meissner state under a high RF magnetic field without …

Cross-Section Measurement Of Virtual Photoproduction Of Iso-Triplet Three-Body Hypernucleus, ⋀Nn, T. Gogami, K. N. Suzuki, B. Pandey, K. Itabashi, S. Nagao, K. Okuyama, S. N. Nakamura, L. Tang, D. Abrams, T. Akiyama, D. Androic, K. Aniol, C. Ayerbe Gayoso, J. Bane, S. Barcus, J. Barrow, V. Bellini, H. Bhatt, D. Bhetuwal, D. Biswas, A. Camsonne, J. Castellanos, J-P. Chen, J. Chen, S. Covrig, D. Chrisman, R. Cruz-Torres, R. Das, E. Fuchey, K. Gnanvo, F. Garibaldi, T. Gautam, J. Gomez, P. Gueye, T.J. Hague, O. Hansen, W. Henry, F. Hauenstein, D. W. Higinbotham, C. E. Hyde, M. Kaneta, C. Keppel, T. Kutz, N. Lashley-Colthirst, S. Li, H. Liu, J. Mammei, P. Markowitz, R. E. Mcclellan, F. Meddi, D. Meekins, R. Michaels, M. Mihovilovic, A. Moyer, D. Nguyen, M. Nycz, V. Owen, C. Palatchi, S. Park, T. Petkovic, S. Premathilake, P.E. Reimer, J. Reinhold, S. Riordan, V. Rodriguez, C. Samanta, S. N. Santiesteban, B. Sawatzky, S. Širca, K. Slifer, T. Su, Y. Tian, Y. Toyama, K. Uehara, G. M. Urciuoli, D. Votaw, J. Williamson, B. Wojtsekhowski, S. A. Wood, B. Yale, Z. Ye, J. Zhang, X. Zheng

Physics Faculty Publications

Missing-mass spectroscopy with the ³H(e, e′K⁺) reaction was carried out at Jefferson Lab’s (JLab) Hall A in Oct–Nov, 2018. The differential cross section for the ³H(γ^∗, K⁺)Λnn was deduced at ω = Ee − E_e′ = 2.102 GeV and at the forward K⁺-scattering angle (0^° ≤ θ_γ∗K ≤ 5^°) in the laboratory frame. Given typical predicted energies and decay widths, which are (B_Λ, Γ) = (−0.25, 0.8) and (−0.55, 4.7) MeV, the cross sections were found …

Grand Challenges In Low Temperature Plasmas, Xinpei Lu, Peter J. Bruggeman, Stephan Reuter, George Naidis, Annemie Bogaerts, Mounir Laroussi, Michael Keidar, Eric Robert, Jean-Michel Pouvesle, Dawei Liu, Kostya (Ken) Ostrikov

Electrical & Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

Low temperature plasmas (LTPs) enable to create a highly reactive environment at near ambient temperatures due to the energetic electrons with typical kinetic energies in the range of 1 to 10 eV (1 eV = 11600K), which are being used in applications ranging from plasma etching of electronic chips and additive manufacturing to plasma-assisted combustion. LTPs are at the core of many advanced technologies. Without LTPs, many of the conveniences of modern society would simply not exist. New applications of LTPs are continuously being proposed. Researchers are facing many grand challenges before these new applications can be translated to practice. …

Beamline For E-Beam Processing At Uitf, G. Ciovati, C. Bott, S. Gregory, F. Hannon, Xi Li, M. Mccaughan, R. Pearce, M. Poelker, H. Vennekate

Electrical & Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Ion Velocity Distribution Functions In Cutting-Edge Plasmas, Mitchell Cameron Paul

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Cutting-edge plasma experiments continue to push the frontiers of plasma science. Two such groups of experiments, helicon sources and laboratory magnetic reconnection, are the focus of this thesis. The relatively high plasma density achieved for modest input powers makes helicon source plasmas ideal testbeds for fusion-relevant phenomena without the complexities associated with fusion devices. Examples include plasma-material interaction (PMI) studies, divertor region studies, and boundary physics studies. As advancements in helicon source design and technology make operation at higher power for longer times possible, understanding of the plasma dynamics, particularly ion dynamics, is vital.

Laboratory experiments are essential to advancing …

Microwave Enhanced Electron Energy Distribution Functions, John Samuel Mckee

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The use of two (or more) radio frequency (RF) sources at different frequencies is a common technique in the plasma processing industry to control ion energy characteristics separately from plasma generation. A similar approach is presented here with the focus on modifying the electron population in argon and helium plasmas. The plasma is generated by a helicon source at a frequency f0 = 13.56 MHz. Microwaves of frequency f1 = 2.45 GHz are then injected into the helicon source chamber perpendicular to the background magnetic field. The microwaves damp on the electrons via R-mode (anti-parallel to the background magnetic field …

Scaling Theory Of 3d Magnetic Reconnection X-Line Spreading, Milton Arencibia

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Magnetic reconnection is fundamental process in plasmas that converts magnetic energy into kinetic and thermal energy via a change in magnetic topology. Magnetic reconnection is known to mediate eruptive solar flares, geomagnetic substorms that create the Northern lights, heating and particle acceleration in controlled fusion devices, and is thought to be an important process in numerous settings in high-energy astrophysics. Classical models of reconnection are two-dimensional (2D), but naturally occurring reconnection is three-dimensional (3D), and a manifestation of the 3D nature is that the x-line where the magnetic field topology changes has a finite extent in the direction normal to …

Plasma-Laser Wakefield Acceleration, Jonathan Babu

Physics

Many texts detailing the derivations and science of Wakefield Acceleration are aimed at graduate and doctorate level scholars, and these may seem intimidating to new physics students. This paper is meant to be an introduction to the nature of plasmas, lasers, laser-plasma interactions, and Laser Wakefield Acceleration (LWFA), with sources given where extra detail may be required. I recognize that this paper is not meant to be an all-encompassing review on the nature of the topics, as these topics are complex and subject of entire textbooks. Instead, I aim to provide an introduction to these topics to a college-level scholar …

Spatiotemporal Non-Uniformly Correlated Beams, Milo W. Hyde Iv

Faculty Publications

We present a new partially coherent source with spatiotemporal coupling. The stochastic light, which we call a spatiotemporal (ST) non-uniformly correlated (NUC) beam, combines space and time in an inhomogeneous (shift- or space-variant) correlation function. This results in a source that self-focuses at a controllable location in space-time, making these beams potentially useful in applications such as optical trapping, optical tweezing, and particle manipulation. We begin by developing the mutual coherence function for an ST NUC beam. We then examine its free-space propagation characteristics by deriving an expression for the mean intensity at any plane z ≥ 0. To validate …

Ultra-Low Frequency Waves At Middle Latitudes During Substorms: Observations And Modeling, Mergen Alimaganbetov

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

This doctoral dissertation presents the results of investigation of the Ultra-Low Frequency (ULF) waves at middle latitudes during substorms. The dissertation consists of two major parts, observations and simulations. The research in this dissertation proposes that the main role in the generation of ULF waves at middle latitudes during substorm belongs to the plasmapause.

The first part of the dissertation presents results of the data analysis of 84 intense substorm events as well as an overview of space observation programs such as CRRES, Van Allen Probes and DMSP. Data used in this study are from the ACE satellite taken measurements …