Search

Many astrophysical environments, such as X-ray binaries, active galactic nuclei, and accretion disks of compact objects, have photoionized plasmas. The strong photoionizing environment found near these bright X-ray sources can be produced in a scaled laboratory experiment, and direct measurements can form a testbed for spectroscopic models and photoionization codes used in the analysis of these astrophysical objects. Such scaled experiments are currently being conducted using Ne-filled gas cells on the Z-facility as part of the Z astrophysical plasma properties collaboration. The plasma is diagnosed using a pressure sensor for density and X-ray absorption spectroscopy for charge-state distribution. The electron temperature is presently inferred from a Li-like ion-level population ratio, but it is necessary to obtain an independent temperature measurement, as photoionization alters the charge state distribution and can therefore cause errors in temperatures obtained via line-ratio techniques. Optical Thomson scattering is a fitting diagnostic, because it directly probes the distribution of plasma particle velocities with respect to a central probe frequency. It is a powerful diagnostic, which can produce time- and space-resolved measurements of electron temperature as well as electron density, ion temperature, and average ionization. In this paper, we explore a possible design for an optical Thomson scattering system to supplement X-ray spectroscopic measurements. The proposed design will use equipment that is available, though not yet assembled, on Z. Both the feasibility and impact of this new diagnostic are assessed by simulating expected spectra for a range of plasma parameters, thereby demonstrating the sensitivity of this diagnostic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The measuring system for Thomson scattering diagnostics of the GOL-3 and GDT facilities at the Budker Institute of Nuclear Physics is described. The system has a modular architecture and is based on eight-channel measuring subsystems, including photodetectors, two-channel recorders (ADC12500), synchronization modules, and the Ethernet/UART communication channel adapter. The photodetectors are based on avalanche photodiodes and are operable in the frequency range of 0-50 MHz. The ADC12500 recorders are used to measure scattering signals with a duration of ~20-30 ns at a sampling rate of to 500 MHz and an amplitude resolution of 12 bits and accumulate data in a buffer memory with a capacity as large as 2 MB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An ultraviolet Thomson-scattering system has been designed and implemented on the Shenguang-III laser facility, a 48-beam, 3ω (351 nm), 180 kJ-level laser driver for high energy density physics and inertial confinement fusion researches. The 4ω (263.3 nm) probe beam of the Thomson-scattering system is injected from the north pole (top) of the target chamber, with an assistant beam-pointing monitor to achieve high pointing accuracy. The Thomson-scattered light is collected by a double-Cassegrain optical transmission system, which provides an achromatic image over a wide wavelength range of 200–800 nm. A novel on-line alignment method is developed and applied to the diagnostic system, ensuring a volumetric positioning accuracy of ∼30 μm for the scattering volume. An online calibration is also conducted to provide the wavelength benchmark and the spectral resolution of the system. This Thomson-scattering system has been tested in a complicated experimental environment with gas-filled hohlraums, and a high-quality ion feature of the scattered light has been obtained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A "cutoff probe" uses microwaves to measure the electron density in a plasma. It is particularly attractive because it is easy to fabricate and use, its measurement is immune to surface contamination by dielectric materials, and it has a straightforward analysis to measure electron density in real time. In this work, we experimentally investigate the accuracy of the cutoff probe through a detailed comparison with Thomson scattering in a low temperature, high density processing plasma. The result shows that the electron density measured by the cutoff probe is lower than that by Thomson scattering and that the discrepancy of the two results becomes smaller as the gap between the two tips increases and/or the neutral gas pressure decreases. The underestimated electron density found by the cutoff probe can be explained by the influence of the probe holder, which becomes important as the pressure increases and the gap gets closer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new control system for the Pegasus Thomson scattering diagnostic has recently been deployed to automate the laser operation, data collection process, and interface with the system-wide Pegasus control code. Automation has been extended to areas outside of data collection, such as manipulation of beamline cameras and remotely controlled turning mirror actuators to enable intra-shot beam alignment. Additionally, the system has been upgraded with a set of fast (~1 ms) mechanical shutters to mitigate contamination from background light. Modification and automation of the Thomson system have improved both data quality and diagnostic reliability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A Thomson scattering (TS) diagnostic has been successfully implemented on the prototype Material Plasma Exposure eXperiment (Proto-MPEX) at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. The diagnostic collects the light scattered by plasma electrons and spectroscopically resolves the Doppler shift imparted to the light by the velocity of the electrons. The spread in velocities is proportional to the electron temperature, while the total number of photons is proportional to the electron density. TS is a technique used on many devices to measure the electron temperature (Te) and electron density (ne) of the plasma. A challenging aspect of the technique is to discriminate the small number of Thomson scattered photons against the large peak of background photons from the high-power laser used to probe the plasma. A variety of methods are used to mitigate the background photons in Proto-MPEX, including Brewster angled windows, viewing dumps, and light baffles. With these methods, first results were measured from argon plasmas in Proto-MPEX, indicating Te ~ 2 eV and ne ~ 1 × 1019 m-3. The configuration of the Proto-MPEX TS diagnostic will be described and plans for improvement will be given. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel, cost-effective, multi-point Thomson scattering system has been designed, implemented, and operated on the Pegasus Toroidal Experiment. Leveraging advances in Nd:YAG lasers, highefficiency volume phase holographic transmission gratings, and increased quantum-efficiency Generation 3 image-intensified charge coupled device (ICCD) cameras, the system provides Thomson spectra at eight spatial locations for a single grating/camera pair. The on-board digitization of the ICCD camera enables easy modular expansion, evidenced by recent extension from 4 to 12 plasma/background spatial location pairs. Stray light is rejected using time-of-flight methods suited to gated ICCDs, and background light is blocked during detector readout by a fast shutter. This ∼103 reduction in background light enables further expansion to up to 24 spatial locations. The implementation now provides single-shot Te(R) for ne > 5 × 1018 m-3. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Collective Thomson scattering is a technique for measuring the plasma conditions in laser-plasma experiments. Simultaneous measurements of ion-acoustic and electron plasma-wave spectra were obtained using a 263.25-nm Thomson-scattering probe beam. A fully reflective collection system was used to record light scattered from electron plasma waves at electron densities greater than 1021 cm-3, which produced scattering peaks near 200 nm. An accurate analysis of the experimental Thomsonscattering spectra required accounting for plasma gradients, instrument sensitivity, optical effects, and background radiation. Practical techniques for including these effects when fitting Thomsonscattering spectra are presented and applied to the measured spectra to show the improvements in plasma characterization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The application of a space-resolving spectrometer to X-ray Thomson Scattering (XRTS) experiments has the potential to advance the study of warm dense matter. This has motivated the design of a spherical crystal spectrometer, which is a doubly focusing geometry with an overall high sensitivity and the capability of providing high-resolution, space-resolved spectra. A detailed analysis of the image fluence and crystal throughput in this geometry is carried out and analytical estimates of these quantities are presented. This analysis informed the design of a new spectrometer intended for future XRTS experiments on the Z-machine. The new spectrometer collects 6 keV x-rays with a spherically bent Ge (422) crystal and focuses the collected x-rays onto the Rowland circle. The spectrometer was built and then tested with a foam target. The resulting high-quality spectra prove that a spherical spectrometer is a viable diagnostic for XRTS experiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A Thomson scattering diagnostic system, using a 263 nm laser as the probe beam, is designed and implemented on Shenguang-III prototype laser facility. The probe beam is provided by an additional beam line completed recently. The diagnostic system allows simultaneous measurements of both ion feature and red-shifted electron feature from plasmas in a high-temperature (≥2 keV) and high-density (≥1021 cm-3) regime. Delicate design is made to satisfy the requirements for successful detection of the electron feature. High-quality ion feature spectra have already been diagnosed via this system in recent experiments with gas-filled hohlraums. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present the first spectrally resolved measurements of x-rays scattered from cryogenic hydrogen jets in the single photon counting limit. The 120 Hz capabilities of the LCLS, together with a novel hydrogen jet design [J. B. Kim et al., Rev. Sci. Instrum. (these proceedings)], allow for the ability to record a near background free spectrum. Such high-dynamic-range x-ray scattering measurements enable a platform to study ultra-fast, laser-driven, heating dynamics of hydrogen plasmas. This measurement has been achieved using two highly annealed pyrolytic graphite crystal spectrometers to spectrally resolve 5.5 keV x-rays elastically and inelastically scattered from cryogenic hydrogen and focused on Cornell-SLAC pixel array detectors [S. Herrmann et al., Nucl. Instrum. Methods Phys. Res., Sect. A 718, 550 (2013)]. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thomson scattering produces ne profiles from measurement of scattered laser beam intensity. Rayleigh scattering provides a first calibration of the relation ne ∝ ITS, which depends on many factors (e.g., laser alignment and power, optics, and measurement systems). On DIII-D, the ne calibration is adjusted against an absolute ne from the density-driven cutoff of the 48 channel 2nd harmonic X-mode electron cyclotron emission system. This method has been used to calibrate Thomson ne from the edge to near the core (r/a ≥ 0.15). Application of core electron cyclotron heating improves the quality of cutoff and depth of its penetration into the core, and also changes underlying MHD activity, minimizing crashes which confound calibration. Less fueling is needed as 'ECH pump-out" generates a plasma ready to take up gas. On removal of gyrotron power, cutoff penetrates into the core as channels fall successively and smoothly into cutoff. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An infrared multi-channel Thomson scattering diagnostic system is designed from the viewpoint of development of the proposed system on the Joint Texas Experimental Tokamak (J-TEXT). A 3 J/50 Hz Nd:YAG laser, which is injected vertically into plasma in the direction from top to bottom, serves as the power source of the system. The scattering light is then collected horizontally and is transmitted to an interference-filter avalanche photodiode based polychromater for spectrum analysis. The system covers the half plasma cross section, providing 14 spatial points with 2 cm resolution. The proposed system can thus satisfy the requirements of the J-TEXT at present and in the near future. A detailed description of the system design is presented in this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper provides an overview of the Thomson scattering diagnostic in use at General Fusion, including recent upgrades and upcoming plans. The plasma experiment under examination produces temperatures in the 50-500 eV range with density on the order of 1020. m-3. A four spatial point collection optics scheme has been implemented, with plans to expand to six spatial points. Recent changes to the optics of the laser beamline have reduced stray light. The system employs a frequency doubled Nd:YAG laser (532 nm), a grating spectrometer, and a photomultiplier array based detector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The new collective Thomson scattering diagnostic installed on the Frascati Tokamak Upgrade device started its first operations in 2014. The ongoing experiments investigate the presence of signals synchronous with rotating tearing mode islands, possibly due to parametric decay processes, and phenomena affecting electron cyclotron beam absorption or scattering measurements. The radiometric system, diagnostic layout, and data acquisition system were improved accordingly. The present status and near-term developments of the diagnostic are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Thomson scattering diagnostic on the Madison Symmetric Torus (MST) records excessive levels of stray Nd:YAG laser light. Stray light saturates the 1064 nm spectral channel in all polychromators, which prevents absolute electron density measurements via Rayleigh scattering calibration. Furthermore, stray light contaminates adjacent spectral channels for r/a ≥ 0.75, which renders the diagnostic unable to make electron temperature measurements at these radii. In situ measurements of stray light levels during a vacuum vessel vent are used to identify stray light sources and strategies for reduction of stray light levels. Numerical modeling using Zemax OpticStudio supports these measurements. The model of the vacuum vessel and diagnostic includes synthetic collection optics to enable direct comparison of measured and simulated stray light levels. Modeling produces qualitatively similar stray light distributions to MST measurements, and quantifies the mitigation effects of stray light mitigation strategies prior to implementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An optical Thomson scattering diagnostic has been designed for the National Ignition Facility to characterize under-dense plasmas. We report on the design of the system and the expected performance for different target configurations. The diagnostic is designed to spatially and temporally resolve the Thomson scattered light from laser driven targets. The diagnostic will collect scattered light from a 50 × 50 × 200 μm volume. The optical design allows operation with different probe laser wavelengths. A deep-UV probe beam (λ0 = 210 nm) will be used to Thomson scatter from electron plasma densities of ∼5 × 1020 cm-3 while a 3ω probe will be used for plasma densities of ∼1 × 1019 cm-3. The diagnostic package contains two spectrometers: the first to resolve Thomson scattering from ion acoustic wave fluctuations and the second to resolve scattering from electron plasma wave fluctuations. Expected signal levels relative to background will be presented for typical target configurations (hohlraums and a planar foil). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A design to extend the unique divertor Thomson scattering system on DIII-D to allow measurements of electron temperature and density in high triangularity plasmas is presented. Access to this region is selectable on a shot-by-shot basis by redirecting the laser beam of the existing divertor Thomson system inboard -- beneath the lower floor using a moveable, high-damage threshold, in-vacuum mirror -- and then redirecting again vertically. The currently measured divertor region remains available with this mirror retracted. Scattered light is collected from viewchords near the divertor floor using in-vacuum, high temperature optical elements and relayed through the port window, before being coupled into optical fiber bundles. At higher elevations from the floor, measurements are made by dynamically re-focusing the existing divertor system collection optics. Nd:YAG laser timing, analysis of the scattered light spectrum via polychromators, data acquisition, and calibration are all handled by existing systems or methods of the current multi-pulse Thomson scattering system. Existing filtered polychromators with 7 spectral channels are employed to provide maximum measurement breadth (Te in the range of 0.5 eV-2 keV, ne in the range of 5 × 1018-1 × 1021 m3) for both low Te in detachment and high Te measurement up beyond the separatrix. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] A detailed designing for collection optical system of divertor Thomson scattering system in JT-60SA is conducted. [•] The assessment of the density and temperature errors of the measurement system is conducted. [•] It is shown that the measurement could be done with the temperature error of 50% when the density was 1020 m−3. [•] The availability of the laser transmission mirrors for the measurement system is discussed. [•] Several guidelines to improve the measurement system are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A high spatial resolution imaging Thomson scattering diagnostic system was developed in ASIPP (Institute of Plasma Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences). After about one month trial running on the superconducting HT-7 (Hefei Tokamak-7) tokamak, the system was proved to be capable of measuring plasma electron temperature. The system setup and data calibration are described in this paper and then the instrument function is studied in detail, as well as the measurement capability, an electron temperature of 50 eV to 2 keV and density beyond 1 × 1019 m-3. Finally, the data processing method and experimental results are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The core Thomson scattering diagnostic (TS) on the COMPASS tokamak was put in operation and reported earlier. Implementation of edge TS, with spatial resolution along the laser beam up to ~1/100 of the tokamak minor radius, is presented now. The procedure for spatial calibration and alignment of both core and edge systems is described. Several further upgrades of the TS system, like a triggering unit and piezo motor driven vacuum window shutter, are introduced as well. The edge TS system, together with the core TS, is now in routine operation and provides electron temperature and density profiles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new high speed Nd:YAG Thomson scattering AD Convertor (HYADC) that can directly convert the detected scattered light signal into a digital signal is under development. The HYADC is expected to improve a signal to noise ratio of the Nd:YAG Thomson scattering measurement. The data storage of the HYADC which is required for the direct conversion of whole plasma discharge is drastically reduced by a ring buffer memory and a stop trigger system. Data transfer of the HYADC is performed by the SiTCP. The HYADC is easily expandable to a multi-channel system by the distributed data processing, and is very compact and easy to implement as a built-in system of the polychromators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The high resolution Thomson scattering system with 63 points along a 25 mm line measures the radial electron temperature (Te) and its density (ne) in an argon plasma. By using a DC arc source with lanthanum hexaboride (LaB6) electrode, plasmas with electron temperature of over 5 eV and densities of 1.5 × 1019 m−3 have been measured. The system uses a frequency doubled (532 nm) Nd:YAG laser with 0.25 J/pulse at 20 Hz. The scattered light is collected and sent to a triple-grating spectrometer via optical-fibers, where images are recorded by an intensified charge coupled device (ICCD) camera. Although excellent in stray-light reduction, a disadvantage comes with its relatively low optical transmission and in sampling a tiny scattering volume. Thus requires accumulating multitude of images. In order to improve photon statistics, pixel binning in the ICCD camera as well as enlarging the intermediate slit-width inside the triple-grating spectrometer has been exploited. In addition, the ICCD camera capture images at 40 Hz while the laser is at 20 Hz. This operation mode allows us to alternate between background and scattering shot images. By image subtraction, influences from the plasma background are effectively taken out. Maximum likelihood estimation that uses a parameter sweep finds best fitting parameters Te and ne with the incoherent scattering spectrum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

On the FTU tokamak, the collective Thomson scattering (CTS) diagnostic was renewed for investigating the possible excitation of parametric decay instabilities (PDI) by electron cyclotron (EC) or CTS probe beams in presence of magnetic islands and measure their effects on the EC power absorption. The experiments were performed launching a gyroton probe beam (140 GHz, 400 kW) and observing the scattered radiation in symmetric and asymmetric directions (with respect to the equatorial plane) in different conditions of plasma density and magnetic field (with or without the EC resonance in the plasma), and with magnetic islands generated by Neon injection. The acquisition with a fast digitizer allowed observing spectral features with very high time and frequency resolution. Shots were performed at 7.2 T, with the fundamental EC resonance out of the plasma region, at 4.7 T, with the resonance on the high field side of the plasma column, and at 3.6 T, in this last case with the plasma between the first and the second EC harmonics both lying outside the plasma volume. Several types of spectral features characterized by their frequency and their fast time evolution were identified in the observed signal after a proper treatment. The paper reports the observations in the different experimental cases and the correlation of the features with the existence of MHD modes as witnessed by magnetic probes signals and with macroscopic plasma parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using the post-Newtonian formalism of gravity, we attempt to calculate the x-ray Thomson scattering cross section of electrons that are accelerated in the field of a high intensity optical laser. We show that our results are consistent with previous calculations, suggesting that the combination of high power laser and 4th generation light sources may become a powerful platform to test models exploring high order corrections to the Newtonian gravity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new ‘Super H-mode’ regime is predicted, which enables pedestal height and predicted fusion performance substantially higher than for H-mode operation. This new regime is predicted to exist by the EPED pedestal model, which calculates criticality constraints for peeling–ballooning and kinetic ballooning modes, and combines them to predict the pedestal height and width. EPED usually predicts a single (‘H-mode’) pedestal solution for each set of input parameters, however, in strongly shaped plasmas above a critical density, multiple pedestal solutions are found, including the standard ‘H-mode’ solution, and a ‘Super H-Mode’ solution at substantially larger pedestal height and width. The Super H-mode regime is predicted to be accessible by controlling the trajectory of the density, and to increase fusion performance for ITER, as well as for DEMO designs with strong shaping. A set of experiments on DIII-D has identified the predicted Super H-mode regime, and finds pedestal height and width, and their variation with density, in good agreement with theoretical predictions from the EPED model. The very high pedestal enables operation at high global beta and high confinement, including the highest normalized beta achieved on DIII-D with a quiescent edge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Collective Thomson scattering has been applied to gas-blasted arcs confined by a nozzle to measure their decay processes with respect to electron density (ne). Pure SF6 gas, an Ar/SF6 gas mixture (SF6 was 20, 40, 60, and 80% of the mixture), and pure Ar gas were used as arc-quenching media at atmospheric pressure. Copper–tungsten (40% copper) electrodes were installed inside a polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) nozzle and 50 mm-long gap arcs were generated between the electrodes. First, steady-state arcs were generated with 50 A current. Then, a semiconductor switch removed the arc current. It was found that after the current decreased to zero, ne exponentially decreased and the decay time constant of ne systematically decreased with an increasing SF6 gas ratio. Thomson scattering measured ne in the range 1021–1023 m−3. Self-emission measurements, which were performed with a high-speed camera at 200 000 frames per second, exhibited good agreement with the results of the Thomson scattering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Collection optics for core measurements in a JT-60SA Thomson scattering system were designed. The collection optics will be installed in a limited space and have a wide field of view and wide wavelength range. Two types of the optics are therefore suggested: refraction and reflection types. The reflection system, with a large primary mirror, avoids large chromatic aberrations. Because the size limit of the primary mirror and vignetting due to the secondary mirror affect the total collection throughput, conditions that provide the high throughput are found through an optimization. A refraction system with four lenses forming an Ernostar system is also employed. The use of high-refractive-index glass materials enhances the freedom of the lens curvatures, resulting in suppression of the spherical and coma aberration. Moreover, sufficient throughput can be achieved, even with smaller lenses than that of a previous design given in [H. Tojo, T. Hatae, T. Sakuma, T. Hamano, K. Itami, Y. Aida, S. Suitoh, and D. Fujie, Rev. Sci. Instrum. 81, 10D539 (2010)]. The optical resolutions of the reflection and refraction systems are both sufficient for understanding the spatial structures in plasma. In particular, the spot sizes at the image of the optics are evaluated as ∼0.3 mm and ∼0.4 mm, respectively. The throughput for the two systems, including the pupil size and transmissivity, are also compared. The results show that good measurement accuracy (<10%) even at high electron temperatures (<30 keV) can be expected in the refraction system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]