Significant experimental and theoretical progress has been made in the U.S. heavy ion fusion program on high-current sources, injectors, transport, final focusing, chambers and targets for high energy density physics (HEDP) and inertial fusion energy (IFE) driven by induction linac accelerators. One focus of present research is the beam physics associated with quadrupole focusing of intense, space-charge dominated heavy-ion beams, including gas and electron cloud effects at high currents, and the study of long-distance-propagation effects such as emittance growth due to field errors in scaled experiments. A second area of emphasis in present research is the introduction of background plasma to neutralize the space charge of intense heavy ion beams and assist in focusing the beams to a small spot size. In the near future, research will continue in the above areas, and a new area of emphasis will be to explore the physics of neutralized beam compression and focusing to high intensities required to heat targets to high energy density conditions as well as for inertial fusion energy.
Significant experimental and theoretical progress has been made in the U.S. heavy ion fusion program on high-current sources, injectors, transport, final focusing, chambers and targets for high energy density physics (HEDP) and inertial fusion energy (IFE) driven by induction linac accelerators. One focus of present research is the beam physics associated with quadrupole focusing of intense, space-charge dominated heavy-ion beams, including gas and electron cloud effects at high currents, and the study of long-distance-propagation effects such as emittance growth due to field errors in scaled experiments. A second area of emphasis in present research is the introduction of background plasma to neutralize the space charge of intense heavy ion beams and assist in focusing the beams to a small spot size. In the near future, research will continue in the above areas, and a new area of emphasis will be to explore the physics of neutralized beam compression and focusing to high intensities required to heat targets to high energy density conditions as well as for inertial fusion energy.
Significant experimental and theoretical progress has been made in the U.S. heavy ion fusion program on high-current sources, injectors, transport, final focusing, chambers and targets for high energy density physics (HEDP) and inertial fusion energy (IFE) driven by induction linac accelerators. One focus of present research is the beam physics associated with quadrupole focusing of intense, space-charge dominated heavy-ion beams, including gas and electron cloud effects at high currents, and the study of long-distance-propagation effects such as emittance growth due to field errors in scaled experiments. A second area of emphasis in present research is the introduction of background plasma to neutralize the space charge of intense heavy ion beams and assist in focusing the beams to a small spot size. In the near future, research will continue in the above areas, and a new area of emphasis will be to explore the physics of neutralized beam compression and focusing to high intensities required to heat targets to high energy density conditions as well as for inertial fusion energy.
Significant experimental and theoretical progress has been made in the U.S. heavy ion fusion program on high-current sources, transport, final focusing, chambers and targets for inertial fusion energy (IFE) driven by induction linac accelerators seek to provide the scientific and technical basis for the Integrated Beam Experiment (IBX), an integrated source-to-target physics experiment recently included in the list of future facilities planned by the U.S. Department of Energy. To optimize the design of IBX and future inertial fusion energy drivers, current HIF-VNL research is addressing several key issues (representative, not inclusive): gas and electron cloud effects which can exacerbate beam loss at high beam perveance and magnet aperture fill factors; ballistic neutralized and assisted-pinch focusing of neutralized heavy ion beams; limits on longitudinal compression of both neutralized and un-neutralized heavy ion bunches; and tailoring heavy ion beams for uniform target energy deposition for high energy density physics (HEDP) studies.
This article provides an overview of current U.S. research on accelerators for Heavy Ion Fusion, that is, inertial fusion driven by intense beams of heavy ions with the goal of energy production. The concept, beam requirements, approach, and major issues are introduced. An overview of a number of new experiments is presented. These include: the High Current Experiment now underway at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory; studies of advanced injectors (and in particular an approach based on the merging of multiple beamlets), being investigated experimentally at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory; the Neutralized (chamber) Transport Experiment being assembled at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory; and smaller experiments at the University of Maryland and at Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory. The comprehensive program of beam simulations and theory is outlined. Finally, prospects and plans for further development of this promising approach to fusion energy are discussed.
A national plan for heavy ion fusion research is outlined. The transfer of the heavy ion fusion program from the Defense Programs to the Office of Energy Research is discussed. (MOW).
Over the past two years noteworthy experimental and theoretical progress has been made towards the top-level scientific question for the U.S. program in Heavy Ion Fusion Science and High Energy Density Physics: ''How can heavy ion beams be compressed to the high intensity required to create high energy density matter and fusion conditions''? [1]. New results in transverse and longitudinal beam compression, beam-target interaction, high-brightness transport, beam production, as well as a new scheme in beam acceleration will be reported. Longitudinal and Transverse Beam Compression: The Neutralized Transport Experiment (NTX) demonstrated transverse beam density enhancement by a factor greater than 100 when an otherwise space-charge dominated ion beam was neutralized by a plasma source [2]. This experiment was followed by the Neutralized Drift Compression Experiment (NDCX) in which an ion beam was longitudinally compressed by a factor of 50 [3]. This was accomplished by applying a linear head-to-tail velocity ''tilt'' to the beam, and then allowing the beam to drift through a meter-long neutralizing plasma. In both the transverse and longitudinal experiments, extensive 3-D simulations, using LSP, were carried out, and the agreement with experiments was excellent [4]. A three-dimensional kinetic model for longitudinal compression was developed, and it was shown that the Vlasov equation possesses a class of exact solutions for the problem [5]. Beam-Target Interaction: We have also made significant progress in identifying the unique role ion beams can play in heating material to warm dense matter (WDM) conditions. We have identified promising accelerator, beam, and target configurations, as well as new experiments on material properties. It is shown that the target temperature uniformity can be maximized if the ion energy at target corresponds to the maximum in the energy loss rate dE/dX [6]. Ions of moderate energy (a few to tens of MeV) may be used. The energy must be deposited in times much shorter than the hydrodynamic expansion time (ns for metallic foams at 0.01 to 0.1 times solid density). Hydrodynamic simulations [7] have confirmed that uniform conditions with temperature variations of less than a few per cent can be achieved. High-Brightness Transport: Unwanted electrons can lead to deleterious effects for high-brightness ion beam transport. We are studying electron accumulation in quadrupole and solenoid beam transport systems. Electrons can originate from background gas ionization, from beam-tubes struck by ions near grazing incidence, and from end-walls struck by ions near normal incidence [8]. In parallel with the experimental campaign, we have developed and implemented in WARP 3D a new approach to large time-step advancement of electron orbits, as well as a comprehensive suite of models for electrons, gas, and wall interactions [9]. If sufficient electrons are accumulated within the beam, severe distortion of the beam phase space can result. Simulations of this effect have reproduced the key features observed in the experiments. Beam Production: The merging-beamlet injector experiment recently completed demonstrates the feasibility of a compact, high-current injector for heavy ion fusion drivers. In our experiment, 119 argon ion beamlets at 400 keV beam energy were merged into an electrostatic quadrupole channel to form a single beam of 70 mA. The measured unnormalized transverse emittance (phase space area) of 200-250 mm-mrad for the merged beam met fusion driver requirement. These measurements are in good agreement with our particle-in-cell simulations using WARP3D [10]. We have also completed the physics design of a short-pulse injector suitable for WDM studies. Beam Acceleration: A new concept for acceleration, the Pulse Line Ion Accelerator PLIA [11], offers the potential of a very low cost accelerator for WDM studies. It is based on a traveling wave structure, using a simple geometry with a helical conductor. We have obtained experimental verification of the predicted PLIA beam dynamics. Measured energy gain, longitudinal phase space, and beam bunching are in good agreement with WARP3D simulations. Computational Models and Simulator Experiments: The pioneering merger of Adaptive Mesh Refinement and particle-in-cell methods [12] underlies much of the recent success of WARP3D. BEST, the Beam Equilibrium Stability and Transport code was optimized for massively parallel computers and applied to studies of the collective effects of 3D bunched beams [13] and the temperature-anisotropy instability [14]. Space-charge-dominated beam physics experiments relevant to long-path accelerators were carried out on the recently completed University of Maryland Electron Ring, and on the Paul Trap Simulator Experiment at PPPL.
The US heavy-ion fusion (HIF) research program is oriented toward development of multiple-beam induction linacs. Over the last two years an assessment has been performed of the potential of HIF as a competitive commercial electric power source. This assessment involved several technology performance and cost issues (e.g., final beam transport system, target manufacturing, beam stability in reactor cavity environments, and reactor cavity clearing), as well as overall power plant systems integration and tradeoff studies. Results from parametric analyses using a systems code developed in the project show cost of electricity (COE) values comparable with COEs from other magnetic fusion and inertial confinement fusion (ICF) plant studies; viz, 50-60 mills/kWh (1985 dollars) for 1-GWe plants. Also, significant COE insensitivity to major accelerator, target, and reactor parameters was demonstrated.
During the past two years, the U.S. heavy ion fusion science program has made significant experimental and theoretical progress in simultaneous transverse and longitudinal beam compression, ion-beam-driven warm dense matter targets, high brightness beam transport, advanced theory and numerical simulations, and heavy ion target designs for fusion. First experiments combining radial and longitudinal compression of intense ion beams propagating through background plasma resulted in on-axis beam densities increased by 700X at the focal plane. With further improvements planned in 2007, these results will enable initial ion beam target experiments in warm dense matter to begin next year at LBNL. We are assessing how these new techniques apply to low-cost modular fusion drivers and higher-gain direct-drive targets for inertial fusion energy.
