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To realize stable negative ion beams for 100 s required in the neutral beam injector of JT-60SA, a physical model to control cesium (Cs) distribution inside the negative ion source has been developed in order to maintain the stable negative ion production at the plasma grid (PG) surface with Cs. In this work, to quantitatively evaluate Cs coverage on the PG, a three-dimensional Cs transportation code was introduced to consider the spatial Cs distribution in the source. The spatial temperature distribution of the chamber wall was also introduced in this model. As a result, the reasonable variation of the Cs coverage for 100 s was obtained, compared to that in the initial model. Based on the modified model, the operational temperature of the chamber wall was proposed to be less than 60 °C to suppress the desorption of Cs in the chamber wall and to sustain the stable negative ion production. In addition, it was also suggested that a slightly higher wall temperature before the operation leads to a decrease in the amount of Cs stored at the chamber wall, resulting in suppression of Cs consumption in the ion source. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Long pulse acceleration of hydrogen negative ion beams with the power density over 70 MW/m2 and the pulse length over 100 s has been demonstrated for the first time by using a multi-aperture 3-stage accelerator. Such long pulse acceleration was achieved by integrating the design of beam optics and voltage holding capability to meet the requirements of JT-60SA. By using the newly designed accelerator for JT-60SA, voltage holding at 500 kV with beam acceleration was stably sustained even after 5 g of cesium was seeded, and heat load on each acceleration grid was reduced below the allowable level for long pulse, less than 5% of total acceleration power. As a result, 500 keV, 154 A/m2 for 118 s beam acceleration was achieved, which satisfies the requirement of the negative ion source for JT-60SA. This pulse length of such high-power density beams is longest in the world. In addition, the result contributes to the long pulse acceleration of multi-stage electrostatic accelerators, such as 1 MeV negative ion accelerator for ITER. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to realize negative ion sources and accelerators to be applicable to International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor and JT-60 Super Advanced, a large cesium (Cs)-seeded negative ion source and a multi-aperture and multi-stage electric acceleration have been developed at Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA). Long pulse production and acceleration of the negative ion beams have been independently carried out. The long pulse production of the high current beams has achieved 100 s at the beam current of 15 A by modifying the JT-60 negative ion source. The pulse duration time is increased three times longer than that before the modification. As for the acceleration, a pulse duration time has been also extended two orders of magnitudes from 0.4 s to 60 s. The developments of the negative ion source and acceleration at JAEA are well in progress towards the realization of the negative ion sources and accelerators for fusion applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Design techniques for the vacuum insulation have been developed in order to realize a reliable voltage holding capability of multi-aperture multi-grid (MAMuG) accelerators for fusion application. In this method, the nested multi-stage configuration of the MAMuG accelerator can be uniquely designed to satisfy the target voltage within given boundary conditions. The evaluation of the voltage holding capabilities of each acceleration stages was based on the previous experimental results about the area effect and the multi-aperture effect. Since the multi-grid effectwas found to be the extension of the area effect by the total facing area this time, the total voltage holding capability of the multi-stage can be estimated from that per single stage by assuming the stage with the highest electric field, the total facing area, and the total apertures. By applying these consideration, the analysis on the 3-stage MAMuG accelerator for JT-60SA agreed well with the past gap-scan experiments with an accuracy of less than 10% variation, which demonstrated the high reliability to design MAMuG accelerators and also multistage high voltage bushings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To understand the physics of the cesium (Cs) recycling in the large Cs-seeded negative ion sources relevant to ITER and JT-60SA with ion extraction area of 45-60 cm × 110-120 cm, the time evolution of the negative ion profile was precisely measured in JT-60SA where the ion extraction area is longitudinally segmented into 5. The Cs was seeded from the oven at 180 °C to the ion source. After 1 g of Cs input, surface production of the negative ions appeared only in the central segment where a Cs nozzle was located. Up to 2 g of Cs, the negative ion profile was longitudinally expanded over full ion extraction area. The measured time evolution of the negative ion profile has the similar tendency of distribution of the Cs atoms that is calculated. From the results, it is suggested that Cs atom distribution is correlated with the formation of the negative ion profile. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Long pulse beam extraction with a current density of 120 A/m² for 100 s has been achieved with a newly developed plasma grid (PG) for the JT-60SA negative ion source which is designed to produce high power and long pulse beams with a negative ion current of 130 A/m² (22 A) and a pulse length of 100 s. The PG temperature is regulated by fluorinated fluids in order to keep the high PG temperature for the cesium-seeded negative ion production. The time constant for temperature controllability of the PG was measured to be below 10 s, which was mainly determined by the heat transfer coefficient of the fluorinated fluid. The measured decay time of the negative ion current extracted from the actively temperature-controlled PG was 430 s which was sufficient for the JT-60SA requirement, and much longer than that by inertial-cooling PG of 60 s. Obtained results of the long pulse capability are utilized to design the full size PG for the JT-60SA negative ion source. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vacuum insulation on a large size negative ion accelerator with multiple extraction apertures and acceleration grids for fusion application was experimentally examined and designed. In the experiment, vacuum insulation characteristics were investigated in the JT-60 negative ion source with >1000 apertures on the grid with the surface area of ∼2 m2. The sustainable voltages varied with a square root of the gap lengths between the grids, and decreased with number of the apertures and with the surface area of the grids. Based on the obtained results, the JT-60SA (super advanced) negative ion source is designed to produce 22 A, 500 keV D- ion beams for 100 s. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In JAEA, research and developments to realize high power accelerator (1 MeV, 40 AD- ion beams for 3600 s) for ITER have been carried out experimentally and numerically utilizing a five stage MAMuG (Multiaperture, Multigrid) accelerator. In this paper, the extension of the gap length, which is required to improve the voltage holding capability, is examined in two dimensional beam optics analyses and also from view point of stripping loss of ions. In order to suppress excess power loadings due to the direct interception of negative ions, which is issued in long pulse tests, the beamlet deflection is analyzed in three dimensional multibeamlet analyses. The necessary modifications shown above are applied to the MAMuG accelerator for coming long pulse tests in JAEA and ITER. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Developments of the large negative ion source have been progressed in the high-energy, high-power, and long-pulse neutral beam injector for JT-60 Super Advanced. Countermeasures have been studied and tested for critical issues of grid heat load and voltage holding capability. As for the heat load of the acceleration grids, direct interception of D- ions was reduced by adjusting the beamlet steering. As a result, the heat load was reduced below an allowable level for long-pulse injections. As for the voltage holding capability, local electric field was mitigated by tuning gap lengths between large-area acceleration grids in the accelerator. As a result, the voltage holding capability was improved up to the rated value of 500 kV. To investigate the voltage holding capability during beam acceleration, the beam acceleration test is ongoing with new extended gap. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the large area negative ion source for the LHD negative-ion-(H-)-based neutral beam system, (I) we used the spectrometer to measure caesium lines in the source plasma during beam shots. (II) With Doppler-shifted measurements, the Hα line at three different locations along the beam as well as the spectrum profile for cases of different plasma grid areas. (III) Caesium deposition monitor with a high speed shutter was tested to measure the weight of the deposited Cs layer. In the observation, cleaner spectra of Doppler-shifted Hα line with only a small level of background light were obtained at a new observation port which viewed the blueshifted light in the drift region after the accelerator of a LHD ion source. Both the amounts of Cs I (852 nm, neutral Cs0) and Cs II (522 nm, Cs+) in the source plasma light rose sharply when beam acceleration began, and continued rising during a 10 s pulse. It was thought that this was because the cesium was evaporated/sputtered from the source back plate by the back-streaming positive ions. Cs deposition rate to the crystal sensor measured by adjusting the shutter open time was evaluated to be 2.9 nanograms/s cm2 for preliminary testing. More neutral Cs tended to be evolved in the source after arc discharge. Much Cs could be consumed in a high rate-pulsed operation (such as LHD source). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on previous studies on the spatial uniformity of the negative ion beam, the external magnetic filter was replaced to a novel tent-shaped magnetic filter in the JAEA 10 A negative ion source. The line-cusp field configuration on the source chamber was also changed to form a symmetric magnetic field like many of positive ion sources aiming at high proton yield. This magnetic field configuration allows fast electrons emitted from filament cathodes to rotate azimuthally inside the source chamber. The source configuration thus prevents localization of fast electrons due to their B×grad B drift in the filter field. As a result, the H- ion beam profile extracted from a wide region of 340×170 mm2 showed reduction of standard deviation from 16% in the original to 7.9% with the tent filter. The negative ion source with the tent filter satisfied the requirement of the beam uniformity for a large negative ion source in the ITER neutral beam injection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The velocity spectra of the negative-ion-(H-) based neutral beams are studied in high-performance large-area ion sources during injection into large helical device fusion plasmas. We are conducting systematic observations in standard neutral beam injection to correlate beam spectra with source operating conditions. Almost all of the transmitted beam power was at full acceleration energy (∼170 keV). The small stripping beam component which was produced in the extraction gap was evaluated to be about 9%–22% by amplitude of the measured spectra for the sources in beam lines 1 and 2. H- production uniformity from the spectrum profile was 86%–90% for three sources. For the longest pulse injection during 74 and 128 s, a full energy component tended to decrease with time, while the accelerator gap stripping tail tended to increase slightly with time, which is attributed to beam-induced outgassing in the accelerator. A higher conductance multislot ground grid accelerator appeared to show little growth in the accelerator gap beam stripping during long pulses compared to the conventional multiaperture ground grid. The beam uniformity appeared to vary in part with the Cs uniformity on the plasma grid. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A powerful neutral beam system with six high current H- ion sources achieved a total power of 10.3 MW in the large helical device (LHD). We describe the present status of the ion sources, and the results of studies of cesium consumption, tungsten filament lifetime, and the velocity spectrum of the beam. Maximum power and beam energy in those ion sources range from 3.5 to 4.4 MW and 165 to 180 keV (design energy), respectively. The maximum H- current is ∼25 A. Much progress on beam acceleration and plasma uniformity was facilitated by a new accelerator and new arc power supply system with careful Cs seeding. Cs consumption for 1/2 year of operation ranges from 3.9 to 10.6 g per one source (over 2×104 shots). It is converted to the rate of 0.17–1.5 mg per one shot per source. It is considered that Cs deposition on the inside surface of the plasma source could be from 0.11 to 1.0 monolayer per one shot per source. This is of the same order as the expected optimum coverage of ∼0.7. Filament weight loss was measured in each source. Filaments have to be exchanged every 1–3 months (i.e., ∼104 shots). The filament lifetime cycle, instead of the Cs consumption, determines the maintenance cycle. Distribution of the filament weight loss in each source is nonuniform. The distribution changed after adjusting the arc current distribution to each filament for optimized H- uniformity by an independently adjustable multiarc power supply system and filament supplies. Tungsten deposition is from 0.015 to 0.065 monolayer per shot per source. This is smaller than the Cs deposition. Doppler shift spectroscopy yielded the first velocity spectrum for the LHD-neutral beam injector beam. © 2004 American Institute of Physics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Focuses on a negative ion based neutral beam injection for JT-60. Components of extractor of negative ions; Optimization of operation parameters of the ion source; Heat loads measured in the ion source and beamline; Difference between hydrogen and deuterium beams; Power flow diagram.

Difference limens (DLs) for fundamental frequency (F0) of naturally spoken sentences were studied. The experiments can be classified into two major categories. In the first category the fundamental frequency of a portion of sentences of 2 to 3 s in duration was manipulated. The second set of experiments used very short sentences (''The subject verb'') in which the F0 of the entire sentence was manipulated. Across experiments, sentences of comparable length yielded similar DLs, except when the F0 was abruptly shifted within a continuous voicing period. However, the DLs did vary significantly as a function of stimulus complexity and speaker. The range of DLs obtained in this series of experiments was between 10 and 50 times greater than that found with sustained synthetic vowels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High power and long-pulse negative ion extractor, which is composed of the plasma grid (PG) and the extraction grid (EXG), is newly developed toward the neutral beam injector for heating and current drive of future fusion machines such as ITER, JT-60 Super Advanced and DEMO reactor. The PG is designed to enhance surface production of negative ions efficiently by applying the chamfered aperture. The efficiency of the negative ion production for the discharge power increased by a factor of 1.3 against that of the conventional PG. The EXG is also designed with the thermal analysis to upgrade the cooling capability for the long pulse operation of >1000 s required in ITER. Though the magnetic field for electron suppression is reduced to 0.75 of that in the conventional EXG due to this upgrade, it was experimentally confirmed that the extracted electron current can be suppressed to the allowable level for the long pulse operation. These results show that newly developed extractor has the high potential for the long pulse extraction of the negative ions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to realize neutral beam systems in International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor whose target is to produce a 1 MeV, 200 A/m² during 3600 s D- ion beam, the electrostatic five-stages negative ion accelerator so-called "MeV accelerator" has been developed at Japan Atomic Energy Agency. To extend pulse length, heat load of the acceleration grids was reduced by controlling the ion beam trajectory. Namely, the beam deflection due to the residual magnetic field of filter magnet was suppressed with the newly developed extractor with a 0.5 mm off-set aperture displacement. The new extractor improved the deflection angle from 6 mrad to 1 mrad, resulting in the reduction of direct interception of negative ions from 23% to 15% of the total acceleration power, respectively. As a result, the pulse length of 130 A/m², 881 keV H- ion beam has been successfully extended from a previous value of 0.4 s to 8.7 s. This is the first long pulse negative ion beam acceleration over 100 MW/m². [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spatially non-uniform electron energy distribution function (EEDF) in an arc driven negative ion source (JAEA 10A negative ion source: 10 A NIS) is calculated numerically by a three-dimensional Monte Carlo kinetic model for electrons to understand spatial distribution of plasma production (such as atomic and ionic hydrogen (H0/H+) production) in source chamber. The local EEDFs were directly calculated from electron orbits including electromagnetic effects and elastic/inelastic collision forces. From the EEDF, spatial distributions of H0/H+ production rate were obtained. The results suggest that spatial non-uniformity of H0/H+ productions is enhanced by high energy component of EEDF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In a multi-aperture multi-grid accelerator of the ITER neutral beam injector, the beamlets are deflected due to space charge repulsion between beamlets and beam groups, and also due to magnetic field. Moreover, the beamlet deflection is influenced by electric field distortion generated by grid support structure. Such complicated beamlet deflections and the compensations have been examined utilizing a three-dimensional beam analysis. The space charge repulsion and the influence by the grid support structure were studied in a 1/4 model of the accelerator including 320 beamlets. Beamlet deflection due to the magnetic field was studied by a single beamlet model. As the results, compensation methods of the beamlet deflection were designed, so as to utilize a metal bar (so-called field shaping plate) of 1 mm thick beneath the electron suppression grid (ESG), and an aperture offset of 1 mm in the ESG. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Voltage holding test on MeV accelerator indicated that sustainable voltage was a half of that of ideal quasi-Rogowski electrode. It was suggested that the emission of the clumps is enhanced by a local electric field concentration, which leads to discharge initiation at lower voltage. To reduce the electric field concentration in the MeV accelerator, gaps between the grid supports were expanded and curvature radii at the support corners were increased. After the modifications, the accelerator succeeded in sustaining -1 MV in vacuum without beam acceleration. However, the beam energy was still limited at a level of 900 keV with a beam current density of 150 A/m2 (346 mA) where the 3 × 5 apertures were used. Measurement of the beam profile revealed that deflection of the H- ions was large and a part of the H- ions was intercepted at the acceleration grid. This causes high heat load on the grids and the breakdowns during beam acceleration. To suppress the direct interception, new grid system was designed with proper aperture displacement based on a 3D beam trajectory analysis. As the result, the beam deflection was compensated and the voltage holding during the beam acceleration was improved. Beam parameter of the MeV accelerator was increased to 980 keV, 185 A/m2 (427 mA), which is close to the requirement of ITER accelerator (1 MeV, 200 A/m2). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A multiaperture multigrid accelerator called “MeV accelerator” has been developed for neutral beam injection system of international thermonuclear experimental reactor. In the present work, long pulse H- ion beam acceleration was performed by the MeV accelerator equipped with new water-cooled grids. At present, the pulse length was extended to 5 s for the beams of 750 keV, 221 mA, and 10 s for the beams of 600 keV, 158 mA. Energy density, defined as products of beam energy (keV), current (mA), and pulse (s) divided by aperture area (m2), increased more than one order of magnitude higher compared with original MeV accelerator without water cooling in its grids. At higher energy and current, the grid was melted by beam deflection. Due to this grid melting, breakdowns occurred between the grids, and hence, the pulse length was limited. Beam deflection will be compensated by aperture displacement in next experiment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heat load on acceleration grids by secondary particles such as electrons, neutrals, and positive ions, is a key issue for long pulse acceleration of negative ion beams. Complicated behaviors of the secondary particles in multiaperture, multigrid (MAMuG) accelerator have been analyzed using electrostatic accelerator Monte Carlo code. The analytical result is compared to experimental one obtained in a long pulse operation of a MeV accelerator, of which second acceleration grid (A2G) was removed for simplification of structure. The analytical results show that relatively high heat load on the third acceleration grid (A3G) since stripped electrons were deposited mainly on A3G. This heat load on the A3G can be suppressed by installing the A2G. Thus, capability of MAMuG accelerator is demonstrated for suppression of heat load due to secondary particles by the intermediate grids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Voltage holding capability of JT-60 negative ion source that has a large electrostatic negative ion accelerator with 45 cm×1.1 m acceleration grids was experimentally examined and improved to realize 500 keV, 22 A, and 100 s D- ion beams for JT-60 Super Advanced. The gap lengths in the acceleration stages were extended to reduce electric fields in a gap between the large grids and at the corner of the support flanges from the original 4–5 to 3–4 kV/mm. As a result, the voltage holding capability without beam acceleration has been successfully improved from 400 to 500 kV. The pulse duration to hold 500 kV reached 40 s of the power supply limitation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The H- ion accelerator R&D to realize the international thermonuclear experimental reactor neutral beam is ongoing at Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA). The required performance for the prototype MeV accelerator developed at JAEA is 1 MeV, 500 mA (current density of 200 A/m2) H- ion beam at the beamlet divergence angle of less than 7 mrad. Up to 2005, 836 keV, 146 A/m2 H- ion beam was successfully accelerated as the highest record of the current density at MeV class energy beams. In the present work, high current negative ion beam acceleration test was performed by increasing the beam extraction apertures from 3×3 (9 apertures) to 3×5 (15 apertures). By fixing the air leak at the source chamber due to backstream ions as well as the improvement of voltage holding capability by a new fiber reinforced plastic insulator ring, the performance of the MeV accelerator was improved. So far, H- ion beam of 320 mA was successfully accelerated up to 796 keV with the beam divergence angle of 5.5 mrad. The accelerated drain current including the electron reaches close to the power supply limit for the MeV test facility. The heat flux by the backstream ion during the above beam acceleration was estimated to be 360 W/cm2. The Cs leakage to the accelerator during the test campaign (Cs total input of 5.0 g) was 0.26 mg (7.0 μg/cm2). This is considered to be the allowable level from the viewpoint of voltage holding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Samples of silica glass (SiO2) implanted with 60 keV Zn ions to a fluence of 1.0×1017 ions/cm2 were annealed in oxygen gas to form ZnO nanoparticles (NPs). Although the ZnO NPs were formed mainly on the SiO2 surface after oxidation at 700 °C for 1 h, they were formed inside the SiO2 substrate after lower temperature and long-duration oxidation at 500 °C for ∼70 h, i.e., the embedment of ZnO NPs in SiO2 was attained. The embedded NPs show a slightly stronger exciton peak and much weaker defect luminescence than the NPs formed on the surface. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nanocrystals (NCs) of cuprous oxide (Cu2O), cupric oxide (CuO), and copper metal (Cu) are fabricated in silica glasses (SiO2) by implantation of 60 keV Cu- ions at different annealing conditions. At room temperature, Cu2O NCs show two sharp absorption peaks at 2.58 and 2.71 eV due to autoionized exciton states, and Cu NCs show a broad peak at ∼2.2 eV due to the surface plasmon resonance (SPR). With decreasing temperature down to 2.8 K, the peaks of Cu2O NCs become much narrower, while the SPR peak of Cu NCs keeps almost the same peak width. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Silica glass implanted with Zn ions of 60 keV to 1.0×1017 ions/cm2 was annealed in oxygen gas to form ZnO nanoparticles (NPs). In as-implanted state, the implanted Zn atoms form Zn metallic NPs inside of the silica. After annealing at 600 °C, ZnO NPs form on the surface, while Zn metallic NPs still remain in the deep region. At 700 °C, most of Zn atoms move to the surface to form the droplet-shaped ZnO NPs which show two photoluminescence bands, i.e., an exciton band at 375 nm and a defect band at ∼500 nm. The defect band almost disappears in the samples annealed at 600 °C, which include both ZnO NPs and Zn NPs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the JT-60U negative-ion-based neutral beam injection system, the effect of negative ion and electron deflection by the plasma grid (PG) magnetic filter was studied. After a long-pulse operation of up to 19 s, a local melting was observed on the beamline near the ion source, facing the electron drift side of the PG magnetic field. It is confirmed that the experimental deflection of the negative-ion beam agrees well with the three-dimensional beam simulation result by taking account of the measured magnetic field. By using the code, it is found that some stripped electrons produced in the first acceleration gap pass through the down pitch of the multiple apertures in the next stage of acceleration grids, and then collide on the beamline around the melted location. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zinc-oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles (NPs) are fabricated in silica glasses (SiO2) by implantation of Zn+ ions of 60 keV up to 1.0×1017 ions/cm2 and following thermal oxidation. After the oxidation at 700 °C for 1 h, the absorption in the visible region due to Zn metallic NPs disappears and a new absorption edge due to ZnO appears at ∼3.25 eV. Cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy confirms the formation of ZnO NPs of 5–10 nm in diameter within the near-surface region of ∼80 nm thick and larger ZnO NPs on the surface. Under He–Cd laser excitation at λ=325 nm, an exciton luminescence peak centered at 375 nm with FWHM of 113 meV was observed at room temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A method is proposed to synthesize oxide nanoparticles in insulators, using metal-ion implantation and following thermal oxidation, which introduces less damage compared to the sequential implantation of metal ions and oxygen ions. Ni-oxide nanoparticles are formed in O2 gas flow at ∼800 °C for 1 h, through thermal oxidation of Ni metal nanoparticles, which were introduced in SiO2 by charging-free negative ion implantation of 60 keV. After the oxidation, optical absorption in the visible region, which is due to Ni metal nanoparticles in the specimen, disappears, and a steep absorption edge of insulator NiO appears around ∼4 eV. Simultaneously, the large magnetization of Ni metal nanoparticles changes to a weak magnetization of antiferromagnetic NiO nanoparticles. The nanoparticle formation is confirmed by transmission electron microscopy observation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The negative ion based neutral beam injector heating system for JT-60U has contributed to core plasma heating and noninductive current drive experiments on JT-60U. For increasing further the beam power and beam pulse duration, the serious issue is improvement of source plasma nonuniformity in the ion source. Various countermeasures have been devised to solve the nonuniformity. The first is to adjust the spatial distribution of the arc discharge through regulating the arc current limiting resistors to be connected in series to each of the filament groups. The second is to change the arc discharge mode through controlling the filament temperature. These measures have been found to be very effective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]