1. Fast Framing Camera Images of Neutron Production at High Currents in Dense Plasma Focus Machines Framing Camera Images courtesy of Specialised Imaging www.specialised-imaging.com University of Nevada, Las Vegas - National Security Technologies, LLC - IEEE PPPS 2013 Robert O'Brien 1, Daniel Lowe 1, Tim Meehan 2, Chris Hagen 2 1 University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Las Vegas, NV, United States 2 NSTec, North Las Vegas, NV, United States DOE/NV/25946--1808 This work was done by National Security Technologies, LLC, under Contract No. DE-AC52-06NA25946 with the U.S. Department of Energy.

2. Dense Plasma Focus (DPF) at NSTec in Las Vegas, NV Mather style Anode/Cathode D-D operation in Las Vegas up to 1x10 12 neutrons per shot 35kV Operations for Data Presented ~2MA Current University of Nevada, Las Vegas - National Security Technologies, LLC - IEEE PPPS 2013

3. DPF Configuration for Imaging University of Nevada, Las Vegas - National Security Technologies, LLC - IEEE PPPS 2013 Pinch Point

4. MHD Simulation of DPF Operation University of Nevada, Las Vegas - National Security Technologies, LLC - IEEE PPPS 2013

5. Experimental Goal Obtain images of pinch before, during and after neutron production Acquire images of complete plasma rundown Analyze differences between a neutron yielding pinch and a pinch at higher “turn off” current where neutron yield ceases University of Nevada, Las Vegas - National Security Technologies, LLC - IEEE PPPS 2013

6. Camera and Line of Sight to DPF University of Nevada, Las Vegas - National Security Technologies, LLC - IEEE PPPS 2013 Lead shield for gamma flash Mirrors DPF Window

7. Camera and Line of Sight to DPF University of Nevada, Las Vegas - National Security Technologies, LLC - IEEE PPPS 2013 TOF Detectors DPF Window

8. Experimental Setup Images correlated to neutron/photon TOF data are for a detector at 28.5meters from the pinch Corresponds to ~1280ns of travel time between neutron creation and arrival at detector University of Nevada, Las Vegas - National Security Technologies, LLC - IEEE PPPS 2013

9. MCNPX Neutron/Gamma Movie University of Nevada, Las Vegas - National Security Technologies, LLC - IEEE PPPS 2013

10. Phantom Camera Images Ametek Phantom v711 Images here 32x128 Resolution Frame Rate: 680,000 fps (1.47us / frame) University of Nevada, Las Vegas - National Security Technologies, LLC - IEEE PPPS 2013

11. Fast Framing Camera Images Images from 3 DPF shots correlated to Neutron and Photon TOF data Intervals between images range from 200ns to 17ns Exposure times from 10ns to 4ns 1280x960 Resolution 16 frames total University of Nevada, Las Vegas - National Security Technologies, LLC - IEEE PPPS 2013

12. Fast Framing Camera - DPF Shot 4 200 ns interval between frames University of Nevada, Las Vegas - National Security Technologies, LLC - IEEE PPPS 2013

13. First photon peak, Frame 6 Second photon peak, Frame 7 Neutron Arrival 2.5 MeV neutrons at 45 ns/m at 28.5 m = 1282 ns arrival time. Distance between arrows = 1285 ns University of Nevada, Las Vegas - National Security Technologies, LLC - IEEE PPPS 2013 Arrival Time (us) DPF Shot 4 TOF Data – Image Interval 200ns – Exposure 10ns Neutron Yield = 1x10 11 2.10 MA Current 6.40us Rundown Camera Triggers

14. Shot 4 Movie – Neutron production between Frames 5 and 6? University of Nevada, Las Vegas - National Security Technologies, LLC - IEEE PPPS 2013 DPF Shot 4– Image Interval 200ns – Exposure 10ns Neutron Yield = 1x10 11 2.10 MA Current 6.40us Rundown Images courtesy of Specialised Imaging

15. Shot 4 Movie – Neutron production between Frames 5 and 6? University of Nevada, Las Vegas - National Security Technologies, LLC - IEEE PPPS 2013 DPF Shot 4– Image Interval 200ns – Exposure 10ns Neutron Yield = 1x10 11 2.10 MA Current 6.40us Rundown Images courtesy of Specialised Imaging

16. Frame 6Frame 7 University of Nevada, Las Vegas - National Security Technologies, LLC - IEEE PPPS 2013 Shot 4 – Frames 6 and 7 Images courtesy of Specialised Imaging

17. Corresponding Shot 4 Phantom Camera Movie University of Nevada, Las Vegas - National Security Technologies, LLC - IEEE PPPS 2013 DPF Shot 4 Image Interval 1.47us Exposure 1.09us Neutron Yield = 1x10 11 2.10 MA Current 6.40us Rundown

18. Fast Framing Camera - DPF Shot 5 75 ns interval between frames University of Nevada, Las Vegas - National Security Technologies, LLC - IEEE PPPS 2013

19. First photon peak Second photon peak Neutrons 2.5 MeV neutrons at 45 ns/m at 28.5 m = 1282 ns arrival time. Distance between arrows = 1287 ns University of Nevada, Las Vegas - National Security Technologies, LLC - IEEE PPPS 2013 DPF Shot 5 TOF Data – Image Interval 75ns – Exposure 5ns Neutron Yield = 9x10 10 2.08 MA Current 6.42us Rundown Arrival Time (us)

20. Frame 5 University of Nevada, Las Vegas - National Security Technologies, LLC - IEEE PPPS 2013

21. Shot 5 - Movie DPF Shot 5 – Image Interval 75ns – Exposure 5ns Neutron Yield = 9x10 10 2.08 MA Current 6.42us Rundown Images courtesy of Specialised Imaging

22. Frame 5 University of Nevada, Las Vegas - National Security Technologies, LLC - IEEE PPPS 2013 Shot 5 - Frame 5 DPF Shot 5 – Image Interval 75ns – Exposure 5ns Neutron Yield = 9x10 10 2.08 MA Current 6.42us Rundown Images courtesy of Specialised Imaging

23. Corresponding Shot 5 Phantom Camera Movie University of Nevada, Las Vegas - National Security Technologies, LLC - IEEE PPPS 2013 DPF Shot 5 Image Interval 1.47us Exposure 1.09us Neutron Yield = 9x10 10 2.08 MA Current 6.42us Rundown

24. Fast Framing Camera - DPF Shot 10 17 ns interval between frames University of Nevada, Las Vegas - National Security Technologies, LLC - IEEE PPPS 2013

25. First photon peak Second photon peak Neutrons 2.5 MeV neutrons at 45 ns/m at 28.5 m = 1282 ns arrival time. Distance between arrows = 1281 ns University of Nevada, Las Vegas - National Security Technologies, LLC - IEEE PPPS 2013 Arrival Time (us) DPF Shot 10 TOF Data – Image Interval 17ns – Exposure 4ns Neutron Yield = 6x10 10 2.07 MA Current 6.30us Rundown

26. University of Nevada, Las Vegas - National Security Technologies, LLC - IEEE PPPS 2013 Arrival Time (us) Camera Triggers DPF Shot 10 TOF Data – Image Interval 17ns – Exposure 4ns Neutron Yield = 6x10 10 2.07 MA Current 6.30us Rundown First photon peak arrival

27. Frame 1Frame 2Frame 3 Frame 4Frame 5Frame 6 Frame 7Frame 8 University of Nevada, Las Vegas - National Security Technologies, LLC - IEEE PPPS 2013 Images courtesy of Specialised Imaging

28. Conclusions Demonstrated ability to capture quality, high speed images of pinch point Timing is a major challenge to imaging the pinch during neutron creation Pinch does not occur at a completely fixed repeatable time from shot to shot Next step is capture pinch images at higher, “turn off” currents for diagnostic analysis University of Nevada, Las Vegas - National Security Technologies, LLC - IEEE PPPS 2013