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A Faraday cup (FC) is an instrument dedicated to current measurement in beams, jets and plasmas. It consists of a set of polarized electrodes mounted in such a way plasma sheath effect can be neglected, yielding accurate and reliable results. A FC is composed of three main parts, namely a collector or cup, which collects the current, a collimator, which defines the collection area and can contribute to limit electrons from entering the cup and a housing which protects the instrument from perturbation caused by the surrounding medium. In this paper, we provide experimental results of the effect of the collimator upon the measured ion current within the beam of a low-power Hall thruster. Different collimator materials, aperture diameters and polarization voltages are studied to determine the optimum design. Minimum dimension as well as appropriate materials are given as a conclusion in the case of low-power Hall thruster beam investigation.

An understanding of fast (supra-thermal) ion behavior is of great importance in tokamak physics and is a subject studied from both theoretical and experimental perspectives. This paper investigates the spatial energy and density distributions of RF accelerated deuterons using the neutron camera at the tokamak JET. Using the 19 liquid scintillator detectors available in the neutron camera system, we obtain spatial information that cannot be accessed with a single sightline. We present a spectroscopic analysis method in which a spatially resolved model of the fast ion distribution is fitted to the pulse height spectra from all 19 detectors simultaneously. The fast ion distribution is parameterized in such a way that the density, energy, and pitch-angle parts are uncoupled. The energy part is composed of a Maxwellian distribution, characterized by an ‘RF tail temperature,’ and the spatial dependence is modeled as a two-dimensional Gaussian distribution on the poloidal plane of the tokamak. From this parameterized model, we can calculate the spectrum of fusion born neutrons originating from reactions involving RF accelerated deuterons, and by fitting this model to the measured neutron camera pulse height spectra, we obtain an estimate of the spatially resolved distribution of the fast deuterons. The method has been applied to three JET pulses using different RF heating schemes and is shown to identify several features of the fast ion distribution produced in the various scenarios. Hence, this method is able to provide quantitative information about the fast ion distribution resulting from different heating schemes, and can also be useful, e.g., to validate simulation results from RF modeling codes.

Lanthanum hexaboride hollow cathodes represent a viable option for high power Hall effect thruster applications, under development for the next generation of manned and robotic interplanetary missions. In this scenario, SITAEL and the University of Pisa are actively developing high current hollow cathodes capable of providing discharge current in the range 10–100 A to be coupled with high power Hall effect thrusters. The cathode design is based on an in-house theoretical model of the internal sections of the cathode, recently integrated with a simplified model of the cathode plume. Despite the application of hollow cathodes on flight and laboratory model Hall effect thrusters, many questions remain unsolved. In particular, issues related to onset of instabilities, due to plume mode or ion acoustic turbulence, are still unclear, while it is known that they can affect the overall performance of the cathode and thruster unit. This paper focuses on the experimental investigation of the cathode plume by means of measurements of the main plasma parameters, at different operating conditions and for different cathode geometry. Two cathodes were investigated, namely HC20 and HC60, designed to be coupled with SITAEL's HT5k and HT20k (5 kW- and 20 kW-class) Hall effect thrusters. The cathodes were mounted in stand-alone configuration with an auxiliary cylindrical anode. The experimental campaign was performed using triple Langmuir probes as plasma diagnostic system. The probes were mounted on scanning mechanisms to measure the plume parameters at various radial and axial distances from the keeper exit. General trends of electron temperature, plasma potential and plasma density are reported in terms of discharge current, mass flow rate and cathode orifice geometry. The results highlight that the cathode plate orifice selection affects the plume mode onset, giving the possibility to extend the stable mode of cathode operation in the current range required by the thruster.

The present paper deals with the surface heat flux estimation with thermocouples (TC) and fiber Bragg grating (FBG) embedded in the plasma facing components (PFC) of the WEST tokamak. A 2D heat transfer model combined with the conjugate gradient method (CGM) and the adjoint state is used to estimate the plasma heat flux deposited on the PFC. The plasma heat flux is characterized by the time evolution of its amplitude and spatial shape on the target (heat flux decay length $\lambda^t_q$, power spreading in the private flux region $S^t$ and the strike point location $x_0$). As a first step, five ohmic pulses have been investigated with different magnetic configuration and divertor X-point height varying from 44 to 68 mm from the surface. Despite an outboard shift, the relative displacements of the outer strike point as well as the heat flux decay length derived from the TC/FBG systems are consistent with the magnetic equilibrium reconstruction., Comment: Fusion Engineering and Design, Elsevier, 2019

In dusty plasmas, determining the three-dimensional particle positions and trajectories of individual particles is often required. This paper benchmarks two approaches capable of reconstructing the trajectories of particles in three dimensions. The influences of the particle number, the particle number density, and the orientation of the individual cameras are studied. Additionally, the demands on the desired image quality, required for these algorithms, are discussed. The reader is given practical information for the appropriate reconstruction approach and camera positioning that should/could be used in a specific application.

Retrieving spatial distribution of plasma emissivity from line integrated measurements on tokamaks presents a challenging task due to ill-posedness of the tomography problem and limited number of the lines of sight. Modern methods of plasma tomography therefore implement a-priori information as well as constraints, in particular some form of penalisation of complexity. In this contribution, the current tomography methods under development (Tikhonov regularisation, Bayesian methods and neural networks) are briefly explained taking into account their potential for integration into the fusion reactor diagnostics. In particular, current development of the Minimum Fisher Regularisation method is exemplified with respect to real-time reconstruction capability, combination with spectral unfolding and other prospective tasks. For complete list of authors see http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10894-018-0178-x

An Nd:YAG pulsed laser was employed to irradiate different gas-puff targets. The interaction gives rise to the emission of soft X-ray (SXR), ultraviolet and extreme ultraviolet (EUV) radiation useful for X-ray microscopy. A Silicon Carbide (SiC) and a Si detector were employed to characterize the photon plasma emission of different gases in different wavelength ranges. The EUV and SXR measurements with different filters show the applicability of SiC detectors for plasma monitoring and characterization. Detector linearity, plasma evolution over the time and the relative intensity signal of both detectors will be presented and discussed.

RFX-mod experiment is currently under a challenging upgrade of the machine assembly. One of the main purpose of RFX-mod2, the upgraded device, is the achievement of better performances by decreasing the tearing modes amplitude in Reversed-Field Pinch (RFP) configuration thanks to a higher plasma-shell proximity [1, 2]. Moreover, most of the innovations characterizing the device and its diagnostics are conceived with the aim to operate in both RFP and tokamak configurations. This attention on the different configurations is taken into account in the electrostatic sensors design and layout. RFX-mod2 will be equipped with poloidal and toroidal arrays of electrostatic sensors, measuring plasma density and temperature, plasma potential, particle and energy fluxes and floating potential fluctuations. Two toroidal arrays of 72 sensors each (one on the high field side and one on the low field side) are foreseen. Moreover, four poloidal arrays of 28 elements will be housed. A such large amount of sensors is due to the requirement of a better characterization of the numerous instabilities observed in RFP plasma edge, along with the possibility to study the plasma shape in different tokamak configurations (circular, single null, double null). Two different kinds of Langmuir probes configurations will be installed: the so-called single probe and 5-pin balanced triple probe. The conceptual design of the sensors takes inspiration from the model successfully installed on RFX-mod [3], that allows to remove tiles in case of damage, by means of a remote handling manipulator. Each sensor is composed by two parts: the tile side houses pins directly faced to the plasma and connected by springs to the shell side, where specific contacts, conveniently isolated, carry the signals to the cables.

The plasma diagnostic and control (D&C) system for a future tokamak demonstration fusion reactor (DEMO) will have to provide reliable operation near technical and physics limits, while its front-end components will be subject to strong adverse effects within the nuclear and high temperature plasma environment. The ongoing developments for the ITER D&C system represent an important starting point for progressing towards DEMO. Requirements for detailed exploration of physics are however pushing the ITER diagnostic design towards using sophisticated methods and aiming for large spatial coverage and high signal intensities, so that many front-end components have to be mounted in forward positions. In many cases this results in a rapid aging of diagnostic components, so that additional measures like protection shutters, plasma based mirror cleaning or modular approaches for frequent maintenance and exchange are being developed. Under the even stronger fluences of plasma particles, neutron/gamma and radiation loads on DEMO, durable and reliable signals for plasma control can only be obtained by selecting diagnostic methods with regard to their robustness, and retracting vulnerable front-end components into protected locations. Based on this approach, an initial DEMO D&C concept is presented, which covers all major control issues by signals to be derived from at least two different diagnostic methods (risk mitigation).

Probing the rapid dynamics of plasma evolution in laser-driven plasma interactions provides deeper understanding of experiments in the context of laser-driven ion acceleration and facilitates the interplay with complementing numerical investigations. Besides the microscopic scales involved, strong plasma (self-)emission, predominantly around the harmonics of the driver laser, often complicates the data analysis. We present the concept and the implementation of a stand-alone probe laser system that is temporally synchronized to the driver laser, providing probing wavelengths beyond the harmonics of the driver laser. The capability of this system is shown during a full-scale laser proton acceleration experiment using renewable cryogenic hydrogen jet targets. For further improvements, we studied the influence of probe color, observation angle of the probe and temporal contrast of the driver laser on the probe image quality.

The optimization of the pulsed laser deposition process was attempted here for the generation of hydroxyapatite thin films. The deposition process was monitored with an ICCD (Intensified Coupled Charged Device) fast gated camera and a high-resolution spectrometer. The global dynamics of the laser produced plasma showed a self-structuring into three components with different composition and kinetics. The optical emission spectroscopy revealed the formation of a stoichiometric plasma and proved that the segregation in the kinetic energy of the plasma structure is also reflected by the individual energies of the ejected particles. Atomic Force Microscopy was also implemented to investigate the properties and the quality of the deposited film. The presence of micrometric clusters was seen at a high laser fluence deposition with in-situ ICCD imaging. We developed a fractal model based on Schr&ouml, dinger type functionalities. The model can cover the distribution of the excited states in the laser produced plasma. Moreover, we proved that SL(2R) invariance can facilitate plasma substructures synchronization through a self-modulation in amplitude.

Optical and spectroscopic techniques offer unique possibilities for non destructive or micro-destructive characterization of surfaces, with widespread applications, starting from in-line monitoring of industrial processes. A significant group of industrial applications concerns nuclear grade material characterization and plasma diagnostics relevant to the thermonuclear fusion process. However, technologies and methodologies originally developed for specific in-vessel utilization, can easily find additional in-situ and remote application to environmental and cultural heritage (CH) diagnostics addressed to preventive conservation and restoration of surfaces. At ENEA Frascati different prototypes have been developed and patented to collect reflectance and fluorescence images excited at different ultraviolet and visible laser wavelengths, Raman and LIBS signals. Portable integrated instruments suitable for operation at different distances from a 1.5 to 30 m, have been assembled and operated in laboratory on multilayered samples and in field campaigns for Security and on CH painted surfaces. Significant results relevant to the cross fertilization among different applications will be presented and discussed.

A silicon carbide (SiC) detector was calibrated in terms of quantum efficiency (QE) as well as its spectral responsivity at two different wavelength radiations ( $\lambda _{N_{2}} = 2.88$ nm and $\lambda _{N_{e}}= 1.35$ nm), using two different calibrated Si detectors, sensitive to the soft X-ray radiation ( $\lambda = 0.1\div 10$ nm). An Nd:YAG laser was employed to irradiate a nitrogen and a neon gas-puff target, producing a plasma, which is emitting radiation used for estimation of the detector parameters. A possibility to characterize a new generation of not commercial SiC detectors, with a higher band gap with respect to Si, employing a gas-puff target source, will be presented. Measurements show the SiC detectors QE, equal to 3.4 and 7.1 e/ph for 2.88- and 1.35-nm wavelength radiations, respectively. Calculations and results are reported and discussed.

Parametric instabilities induced at the plasma edge by lower hybrid wave power externally coupled to tokamak plasmas have, via broadening of the antenna spectrum, strong influence on the power deposition and current drive in the core. For modeling the parametric instabilities at the tokamak plasma edge in lower hybrid current drive experiments, the effect of the collisions has been neglected so far. In the present work, a specific collisional parametric dispersion relation, useful to analyze these nonlinear phenomena near the lower hybrid antenna mouth, is derived for the first time, based on a kinetic model. Numerical solutions show that in such cold plasma regions the collisions prevent the onset of the parametric instabilities. This result is important for present lower hybrid current drive experiments, as well as in fusion reactor scenarios.

We report on the radiation assessment of hydrogenated aluminium coated 200 mu m pure silica core fibres. It is experimentally demonstrated that hydrogen protected the fibres against the radiation-induced absorption. With such appropriate hydrogen treatment the fibres can survive the ITER radiation environment in the vicinity of the labyrinth region of the tokamak reactor. (C) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

In FTU, density profile is measured with two new diagnostics: a CO2/CO scanning interferometer and a time-of-flight radar (denominated refractometer). The first, using two scanning beams, can provide a plasma density profile every 62.5 mu s. Two lasers (CO2/CO) are employed for compensation of mechanical vibration of optical components. The scanning component is a small mirror (phi=5 mm) tilting at 8 kHz. The oscillation is cancelled out by a second reflection on this mirror. The time-of-flight refractometer is a two-frequency radar (51.5 GHz and 60.5 GHz) which measures the plasma refractive index from the delay time of an RF pulse that goes through the plasma and is reflected back by the metallic vacuum vessel. The line density and the profile peaking by both diagnostics are in good agreement (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

We present the state of development of a THz-based Time-Domain Spectroscopy (TDS) system for FTU Tokamak. TDS is ideal to measure plasma characteristics that are non-uniform and/or evolve during the discharge: THz pulses (0.1-2 THz) produced with femtosecond mode-locked lasers (790 nm) conveniently span the spectrum above and below the plasma frequency and, thus, can be used as very sensitive and versatile probes of widely varying plasma parameters. This work is based on an existing collaboration between ENEA Frascati and the Photonics Group at Clarendon Laboratory, Oxford University, where a THz-TDS experimental apparatus has been assembled and characterised. The spectral response of diagnostic-relevant components and materials has been tested. The instrument is now being equipped with fiber-optics to guide the laser beam to the THz Emitter and Receiver to ease access through the Tokamak ports. Broadband THz pulse propagation in plasma has been simulated using a simple, yet effective Fourier Transform-based model. In the Tokamak environment, THz TDS can be used in conjunction with other diagnostic techniques, such as, interferometry and ECE, for the simultaneous measurement of dispersion and absorption to launch a bridge between major areas of research in the science landscape. (C) 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license.

Eddy currents flowing in the conductive structures surrounding the plasma in a tokamak affect magnetic measurements (magnetic fields and fluxes at given points), which are used to estimate plasma quantities such as plasma toroidal current, position and shape. Due to their spatial distribution and their fast variations, eddy currents are difficult sources to characterize. This is particularly true when magnetic sensors are outside the conductive plasma chamber implying that eddy currents flow between the so-called measurement contour and the plasma region. As a matter of fact many plasma shape identification algorithms assume the plasma current distribution as the only magnetic source located inside the measurement contour. In this paper we deal with the problem of estimating eddy currents in the ITER tokamak by means of a dynamic observer to wash out their contribution to magnetic measurements. © Copyright owned by the author(s) under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike Licence.

The excellent physical and chemical properties and the radiation hardness of silicon carbide (SiC) render this material particularly suitable for the realization of radiation detectors. In this paper we describe the main properties of SiC and the processes needed to realize good performance detectors. To this purpose, we made SiC Schottky diodes that were electrical characterized by using different techniques. In order to test the radiation hardness, the diodes were irradiated with different ion beams and the analysis of the electrical measurements allowed to identify the defects responsible of the device degradation. These detectors have been used to monitor the multi-MeV ions of the plasma emitted by irradiation of various targets with 300-ps laser at high intensity (1016 W/cm2). These measurements highlighted that the use of SiC detectors enhances the sensitivity to ions detection due to the cutting of the visible and soft ultraviolet radiation emitted from plasma. The small rise time and the proportio...

A self-calibrating Thomson scattering technique, based on using two lasers of different wavelength and never implemented before in a fusion experiment, is tested for the first time in RFX-mod. The method employs two laser systems, Nd:YAG (λ = 1064 nm) and Nd:YLF (λ = 1053 nm), fired in sync through the same plasma volume. The combination of the two scattered spectra, individually recorded, is used to simultaneously obtain the measurements of the electron temperature and the relative calibration coefficients of the polychromator spectral channels sensitivities This work is a continuation of the dual-angle technique, a similar alternative method. Due to the small difference in the wavelengths of the two lasers, the sensitivity of this method is low in RFX-mod and reliable measurements of the calibration coefficients could not be obtained on a shot-to-shot basis, but only with a statistical analysis of a reasonable number of pairs of laser shots with good signal-to-noise ratio. The dual-laser method can be applied to most fusion devices and could provide continuous online monitoring of the spectral transmission of the detection system. This may prove essential in larger devices (ITER), where access for traditional calibration is difficult.

High-speed and Schlieren imaging have been used to visualize ignition transients, discharge behavior and flow fields of a plasma device integrating a low-power inductively coupled plasma torch, generating a high temperature thermal plasma, with a quenching device, able to cool the gaseous effluent down to biocompatible temperatures for effective use in biomedical applications.

Laser accelerated proton beams represent nowadays an attractive alternative to the conventional ones and they have been proposed in different research fields. In particular, the interest has been focused in the possibility of replacing conventional accelerating machines with laser-based accelerators in order to develop a new concept of hadrontherapy facilities, which could result more compact and less expensive. With this background the ELIMED (ELIMED: ELI-Beamlines MEDical applications) research project has been launched by LNS-INFN researchers (Laboratori Nazionali del Sud-Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Catania, IT) and ASCR-FZU researchers (Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic-Fyzikalni ustar, Prague, Cz), within the pan-European ELI-Beamlines facility framework. Its main purposes are the demonstration of future applications in hadrontherapy of optically accelerated protons and the realization of a laser-accelerated ion transport beamline for multidisciplinary applications. Several challenges, starting from laser-target interaction and beam transport development, up to dosimetric and radiobiological issues, need to be overcome in order to reach the final goals. The design and the realization of a preliminary beam handling and dosimetric system and of an advanced spectrometer for high energy (multi-MeV) laser-accelerated ion beams will be shortly presented in this work.

The technology is now becoming mature for diagnostics using large portions of the electromagnetic spectrum simultaneously, in the form of THz pulses. THz radiation-based techniques have become feasible for a variety of applications, e.g., spectroscopy, imaging for security, medicine and pharmaceutical industry. In particular, time-domain spectroscopy (TDS) is now being used also for plasma diagnostics in various fields of application. This technique is promising also for plasmas for fusion applications, where plasma characteristics are non-uniform and/or evolve during the discharge This is because THz pulses produced with femtosecond mode-locked lasers conveniently span the spectrum above and below the plasma frequency and, thus, can be used as very sensitive and versatile probes of widely varying plasma parameters. The short pulse duration permits time resolving plasma characteristics while the large frequency span permits a large dynamic range. The focus of this work is to present preliminary experimental and simulation results demonstrating that THz TDS can be realistically adapted as a versatile tokamak plasma diagnostic technique. © 2014 American Institute of Physics.

The PETAL system (PETawatt Aquitaine Laser) is a high-energy short-pulse laser, currently in an advanced construction phase, to be combined with the French Mega-Joule Laser (LMJ). In a first operational phase (beginning in 2015 and 2016) PETAL will provide 1 kJ in 1 ps and will be coupled to the first four LMJ quads. The ultimate performance goal to reach 7PW (3.5 kJ with 0.5 ps pulses). Once in operation, LMJ and PETAL will form a unique facility in Europe for High Energy Density Physics (HEDP). PETAL is aiming at providing secondary sources of particles and radiation to diagnose the HED plasmas generated by the LMJ beams. It also will be used to create HED states by short-pulse heating of matter. Petal+ is an auxiliary project addressed to design and build diagnostics for experiments with PETAL. Within this project, three types of diagnostics are planned: a proton spectrometer, an electronspectrometer and a large-range X-ray spectrometer.

A new method for measuring the diffusion coefficient in the edge plasma of fusion devices is presented. The method is based on studying the decay of the plasma fluctuation spectrum inside a small ceramic tube having its mouth flush with a magnetic surface and its axis aligned along the radial direction. The plasma fluctuations are detected by an electrode, radially movable inside the tube. In the experiment described herein, which was performed in the edge region of the CASTOR tokamak, the electrode measured the floating potential. The experimental arrangement is the same used for the direct plasma potential measurements according to the "Ball-pen probe" [1], the design of which is based on the Katsumata probe principle. When the electrode protrudes from the tube, the measured signal shows the floating potential fluctuations of the plasma. Retracting the electrode into the tube, the signal power spectrum displays a decay. This decay is different for different frequencies, and is exponential. Assuming a mainly diffusive behaviour of the plasma inside the tube, the spectrum decay length can be used to derive a value of the diffusion coefficient. The measurement were performed at different radial positions in the CASTOR edge region, so that a radial profile of the diffusion coefficient was obtained. Typical values of D are of (2-3) m2/s, consistent with expectations from the global particle balance. The radial profile shows a tendency of the diffusion coefficient to increase going deeper into the plasma. © Institute of Physics, Academy of Sciences of Czech Republic 2006.

ELI-Beamlines is one of the four pillars of the ELI (Extreme Light Infrastructure) pan-European project. It will be an ultrahigh-intensity, high repetition-rate, femtosecond laser facility whose main goals are the generation and applications of high-brightness X-ray sources and accelerated charged particles. In particular medical and multidisciplinary applications with laser-accelerated beams are treated by the ELIMED task force, a collaboration between different research institutes. A crucial goal for this network is represented by the design and the realization of a transport beamline able to provide ion beams with suitable characteristics in terms of energy spectrum and angular distribution in order to perform dosimetric tests and biological cell irradiations. A first prototype of transport beamline has been already designed and some magnetic elements are already under construction. In particular, an Energy Selector System (ESS) prototype has been already realized at LNS-INFN. This paper reports about the studies of the ESS properties as, for instance, energy spread and transmission efficiency, carried out using the GEANT4 Monte Carlo code.

A new laser timing controller for the high time-resolution Nd:YAG Thomson scattering system with two Nd:YAG lasers has been developed to study improved confinement physics in Heliotron J. A PIC-based timing controller synchronizes the timings of laser oscillations with plasma discharges and enables the measurement of plasma profiles with a precision of 80 ns), which is crucial for transport physics studies including spontaneous transitions.

This paper describes innovative laser diagnostics under development at the National Institute for Fusion Science, aiming for the establishment of reliable density measurement techniques in the next step magnetically confined fusion devices. There are two approaches, interferometry and polarimetry. A new type of two color laser (47.6/57.2-μm CH3OD) interferometer has been developed and its original function, vibration subtraction, was confirmed in a test stand. The line integrated density measurement at Compact Helical System by using the polarimeter based on Cotton-Mouton effect was demonstrated by the use of a 337-μm HCN laser source.

A fast-ion loss detector (FILD) is being designed for the JT-60SA tokamak. In this work, the preliminary mechanical design of this diagnostic is described. The expected motion needed to move the probe head between the parking and the measuring positions has been estimated by numerical simulations. A finite element thermal assessment of the detector is presented, to characterize its thermal response during the operation of the machine. Finally, the results of a preliminary electromagnetic analysis are reported to evaluate the impact of major disruptions on the structural components the system.