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At least 703 records · Page 39

Measurement of low radioactivity background in a high voltage cable by high resolution inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry

The measurement of naturally occurring low level radioactivity background in a high voltage (HV) cable by high resolution inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (HR ICP MS) is presented in this work. The measurements were performed at the Chemistry Service of the Gran Sasso National Laboratory. The contributions to the radioactive background coming from the different components of the heterogeneous material were separated. Based on the mass fraction of the cable, the whole contamination was calculated. The HR ICP MS results were cross-checked by gamma ray spectroscopy analysis that was performed at the low background facility STELLA (Sub Terranean Low Level Assay) of the LNGS underground lab using HPGe detectors.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Independent control of electron energy and density using a rotating magnetic field in inductively coupled plasmas

Effects of a rotating magnetic field (RMF) on the electron energy distribution function (EEDF) and on the electron density are investigated with the aim of controlling the radical composition of inductively coupled plasmas. By adjusting the RMF frequency and generation power, the desired electron density and electron energy shift are obtained. Consequently, the amount and fraction of high-energy electrons, which are mostly responsible for direct dissociation processes of raw molecules, will be controlled externally. This controllability, with no electrode exposed to plasma, will enable us to control radical components and their flux during plasma processing.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Effect of antenna size on electron kinetics in inductively coupled plasmas

Spatially resolved measurements of electron energy distribution functions (EEDFs) are investigated in inductively coupled plasmas with two planar antenna coils. When the plasma is sustained by the antenna with a diameter of 18 cm, the nonlocal kinetics is preserved in the argon gas pressure range from 2 mTorr to 20 mTorr. However, electron kinetics transit from nonlocal kinetics to local kinetics in discharge sustained by the antenna coil with diameter 34 cm. The results suggest that antenna size as well as chamber length are important parameters for the transition of the electron kinetics. Spatial variations of plasma potential, effective electron temperature, and EEDF in terms of total electron energy scale are also presented.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

Reduced electron temperature in a magnetized inductively-coupled plasma with internal coil

The effect of magnetic filtering on the electron energy distribution function is studied in an inductive discharge with internal coil coupling. The coil is placed inside the plasma and driven by a low-frequency power supply (5.8 MHz) which leads to a very high power transfer efficiency. A permanent dipole magnet may be placed inside the internal coil to produce a static magnetic field around 100 Gauss. The coil and the matching system are designed to minimize the capacitive coupling to the plasma. Capacitive coupling is quantified by measuring the radiofrequency (rf) plasma potential with a capacitive probe. Without the permanent magnet, the rf plasma potential is significantly smaller than the electron temperature. When the magnet is present, the rf plasma potential increases. The electron energy distribution function is measured as a function of space with and without the permanent magnet. When the magnet is present, electrons are cooled down to low temperature in the downstream region. This region of low electron temperature may be useful for plasma processing applications, as well as for efficient negative ion production.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

Transition of electron kinetics in weakly magnetized inductively coupled plasmas

Transition of the electron kinetics from nonlocal to local regime was studied in weakly magnetized solenoidal inductively coupled plasma from the measurement of the electron energy probability function (EEPF). Without DC magnetic field, the discharge property was governed by nonlocal electron kinetics at low gas pressure. The electron temperatures were almost same in radial position, and the EEPFs in total electron energy scale were radially coincided. However, when the DC magnetic field was applied, radial non-coincidence of the EEPFs in total electron energy scale was observed. The electrons were cooled at the discharge center where the electron heating is absent, while the electron temperature was rarely changed at the discharge boundary with the magnetic field. These changes show the transition from nonlocal to local electron kinetics and the transition is occurred when the electron gyration diameter was smaller than the skin depth. The nonlocal to local transition point almost coincided with the calculation results by using nonlocal parameter and collision parameter.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

Controlled synthesis of nickel ferrite nanocrystals with tunable properties using a novel induction thermal plasma method

Nickel ferrite spinel nanopowders were synthesised using a solution spray radio-frequency inductively coupled plasma reactor over a wide range of compositions (Ni{sub x}Fe{sub 3-x}O{sub 4}, x ≤ 1), with metastable powders produced for x = 0, 0.25, and 0.5. X-ray fluorescence and X-ray diffraction coupled to Rietveld refinement show that this synthesis technique offers an excellent level of control over both the chemical and crystallographic composition of the nanopowder through the control of the input Fe/Ni ratio. The technique produces highly crystalline nanopowders without the need for post-synthesis annealing. A bulk Fe/Ni ratio ≥2 yields a pure spinel Ni{sub x}Fe{sub 3-x}O{sub 4} phase, whereas Fe/Ni ratio <2 results in the excess Ni partitioning to a secondary bunsenite (Ni{sub x},Fe{sub 1-x})O phase. Morphological analysis using transmission electron microscopy shows that two types of particles are produced in different parts of the reactor: a highly faceted powder with the truncated octahedron morphology and a smaller-sized random agglomerate. The faceted particles have a log-normal particle size distribution, with an average size of about 30 nm while the agglomerates have a characteristic length of ∼3–5 nm.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Mode transition in CF{sub 4} + Ar inductively coupled plasma

The E to H mode transitions are studied by a hairpin probe and optical emission spectroscopy in inductively coupled CF{sub 4} + Ar plasmas. Electron density, optical emission intensity of Ar, and the voltage and current are measured during the E to H mode transitions. It is found that the electron density and plasma emission intensity increase continuously at low pressure during the E to H mode transition, while they jump up discontinuously at high pressure. Meanwhile, the transition threshold power and △P (the power interval between E and H mode) increase by increasing the pressure. When the ratio of CF{sub 4} increases, the E to H mode transition happens at higher applied power, and meanwhile, the △P also significantly increases. Besides, the effects of CF{sub 4} gas ratio on the plasma properties and the circuit electrical properties in both pure E and H modes were also investigated. The electron density and plasma emission intensity both decrease upon increasing the ratio of CF{sub 4} at the two modes, due to the stronger electrons loss scheme. The applied voltages at E and H modes both increase as increasing the CF{sub 4} gas ratio, however the applied current at two modes behave just oppositely with the gas ratio.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

Comparative study of laminar and turbulent flow model with different operating parameters for radio frequency-inductively coupled plasma torch working at 3 MHz frequency at atmospheric pressure

This paper provides 2D comparative study of results obtained using laminar and turbulent flow model for RF (radio frequency) Inductively Coupled Plasma (ICP) torch. The study was done for the RF-ICP torch operating at 50 kW DC power and 3 MHz frequency located at BARC. The numerical modeling for this RF-ICP torch is done using ANSYS software with the developed User Defined Function. A comparative study is done between laminar and turbulent flow model to investigate how temperature and flow fields change when using different operating conditions such as (a) swirl and no swirl velocity for sheath gas flow rate, (b) variation in sheath gas flow rate, and (c) variation in plasma gas flow rate. These studies will be useful for different material processing applications.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

Online tuning of impedance matching circuit for long pulse inductively coupled plasma source operation—An alternate approach

Impedance matching circuit between radio frequency (RF) generator and the plasma load, placed between them, determines the RF power transfer from RF generator to the plasma load. The impedance of plasma load depends on the plasma parameters through skin depth and plasma conductivity or resistivity. Therefore, for long pulse operation of inductively coupled plasmas, particularly for high power (∼100 kW or more) where plasma load condition may vary due to different reasons (e.g., pressure, power, and thermal), online tuning of impedance matching circuit is necessary through feedback. In fusion grade ion source operation, such online methodology through feedback is not present but offline remote tuning by adjusting the matching circuit capacitors and tuning the driving frequency of the RF generator between the ion source operation pulses is envisaged. The present model is an approach for remote impedance tuning methodology for long pulse operation and corresponding online impedance matching algorithm based on RF coil antenna current measurement or coil antenna calorimetric measurement may be useful in this regard.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

Spin precession by pulsed inductive magnetometry in thin amorphous plates

Broadband magnetic loss and damping behavior of Co-based amorphous ribbons and thin films have been investigated. The permeability and loss response of the transverse anisotropy ribbon samples in the frequency range DC to 1 GHz is interpreted in terms of combined and distinguishable contributions to the magnetization process by domain wall displacements and magnetization rotations. The latter alone are shown to survive at the highest frequencies, where the losses are calculated via coupled Maxwell and Landau–Lifshitz–Gilbert (LLG) equations. Remarkably high values of the LLG damping coefficient α = 0.1–0.2 are invoked in this theoretical prediction. Direct measurements of α by pulsed inductive microwave magnetometry are thus performed, both in these laminae and in amorphous films of identical composition, obtaining about one order of magnitude increase of the α value upon the 100 nm÷10 μm thickness range. This confirms that dissipation by eddy currents enters the LLG equation via large increase of the damping coefficient.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Effect of neutral gas heating on the wave magnetic fields of a low pressure 13.56 MHz planar coil inductively coupled argon discharge

The axial and radial magnetic field profiles in a 13.56 MHz (radio frequency) laboratory 6 turn planar coil inductively coupled plasma reactor are simulated with the consideration of the effect of neutral gas heating. Spatially resolved electron densities, electron temperatures, and neutral gas temperatures were obtained for simulation using empirically fitted electron density and electron temperature and heuristically determined neutral gas temperature. Comparison between simulated results and measured fields indicates that neutral gas heating plays an important role in determining the skin depth of the magnetic fields.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

General rotating quantum vortex filaments in the low-temperature Svistunov model of the local induction approximation

In his study of superfluid turbulence in the low-temperature limit, Svistunov [“Superfluid turbulence in the low-temperature limit,” Phys. Rev. B 52, 3647 (1995)] derived a Hamiltonian equation for the self-induced motion of a vortex filament. Under the local induction approximation (LIA), the Svistunov formulation is equivalent to a nonlinear dispersive partial differential equation. In this paper, we consider a family of rotating vortex filament solutions for the LIA reduction of the Svistunov formulation, which we refer to as the 2D LIA (since it permits a potential formulation in terms of two of the three Cartesian coordinates). This class of solutions holds the well-known Hasimoto-type planar vortex filament [H. Hasimoto, “Motion of a vortex filament and its relation to elastica,” J. Phys. Soc. Jpn. 31, 293 (1971)] as one reduction and helical solutions as another. More generally, we obtain solutions which are periodic in the space variable. A systematic analytical study of the behavior of such solutions is carried out. In the case where vortex filaments have small deviations from the axis of rotation, closed analytical forms of the filament solutions are given. A variety of numerical simulations are provided to demonstrate the wide range of rotating filament behaviors possible. Doing so, we are able to determine a number of vortex filament structures not previously studied. We find that the solution structure progresses from planar to helical, and then to more intricate and complex filament structures, possibly indicating the onset of superfluid turbulence.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

E→H mode transition density and power in two types of inductively coupled plasma configuration

E → H transition power and density were investigated at various argon pressures in inductively coupled plasma (ICP) in a cylindrical interlaid chamber. The transition power versus the pressure shows a minimum transition power at 4 Pa (ν/ω=1) for argon. Then the transition density hardly changes at low pressures (ν/ω≪1), but it increases clearly when argon pressure exceeds an appropriate value. In addition, both the transition power and transition density are lower in the re-entrant configuration of ICP compared with that in the cylindrical configuration of ICP. The result may be caused from the decrease of stochastic heating in the re-entrant configuration of ICP. This work is useful to understand E → H mode transition and control the transition points in real plasma processes.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

Superconducting inductive displacement detection of a microcantilever

We demonstrate a superconducting inductive technique to measure the displacement of a micromechanical resonator. In our scheme, a type I superconducting microsphere is attached to the free end of a microcantilever and approached to the loop of a dc Superconducting Quantum Interference Device (SQUID) microsusceptometer. A local magnetic field as low as 100 μT, generated by a field coil concentric to the SQUID, enables detection of the cantilever thermomechanical noise at 4.2 K. The magnetomechanical coupling and the magnetic spring are in good agreement with image method calculations assuming pure Meissner effect. These measurements are relevant to recent proposals of quantum magnetomechanics experiments based on levitating superconducting microparticles.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

On the possibility of the multiple inductively coupled plasma and helicon plasma sources for large-area processes

In this study, we attempted to determine the possibility of multiple inductively coupled plasma (ICP) and helicon plasma sources for large-area processes. Experiments were performed with the one and two coils to measure plasma and electrical parameters, and a circuit simulation was performed to measure the current at each coil in the 2-coil experiment. Based on the result, we could determine the possibility of multiple ICP sources due to a direct change of impedance due to current and saturation of impedance due to the skin-depth effect. However, a helicon plasma source is difficult to adapt to the multiple sources due to the consistent change of real impedance due to mode transition and the low uniformity of the B-field confinement. As a result, it is expected that ICP can be adapted to multiple sources for large-area processes.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

Measurement of the target current by inductive probe during laser interaction on terawatt laser system PALS

Measurements of the return-current flowing through a solid target irradiated with the sub-nanosecond kJ-class Prague Asterix Laser System is reported. A new inductive target probe was developed which allows us measuring the target current derivative in a kA/ns range. The dependences of the target current on the laser pulse energy for cooper, graphite, and polyethylene targets are reported. The experiment shows that the target current is proportional to the deposited laser energy and is strongly affected by the shot-to-shot fluctuations. The corresponding maximum target charge exceeded a value of 10 μC. A return-current dependence of the electromagnetic pulse produced by the laser-target interaction is presented.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗

Low-frequency, self-sustained oscillations in inductively coupled plasmas used for optical pumping

We have investigated very low frequency, on the order of one hertz, self-pulsing in alkali-metal inductively-coupled plasmas (i.e., rf-discharge lamps). This self-pulsing has the potential to significantly vary signal-to-noise ratios and (via the ac-Stark shift) resonant frequencies in optically pumped atomic clocks and magnetometers (e.g., the atomic clocks now flying on GPS and Galileo global navigation system satellites). The phenomenon arises from a nonlinear interaction between the atomic physics of radiation trapping and the plasma's electrical nature. To explain the effect, we have developed an evaporation/condensation theory (EC theory) of the self-pulsing phenomenon.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Power dependence of electron density at various pressures in inductively coupled plasmas

Experimental observation of the electron density variation in inductively coupled plasmas with the electron energy probability function (EEPFs) was performed at various gas pressures at two RF powers (25 W and 200 W). The measured EEPFs at high power discharges (200 W) showed a Maxwellian distribution, while evolution of the EEPFs from a bi-Maxwellian distribution to a Druyvesteyn-like distribution was observed at low RF powers (25 W) with increasing pressure. A discrepancy of the electron density variation between the two RF powers was observed. This difference is explained by the modified collisional loss and the Bohm velocity from the EEPF of the bi-Maxwellian distribution and the Druyvesteyn–like distribution.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗