Brook Schwartz, SUNY Geneseo

Title: Cr-39 In A Charged Particle Spectrometer as a Diagnostic For Inertial Confinement Fusion

Authors: B. Schwartz, S. Thompson, S. Padalino (SUNY Geneseo); J. Law (Laboratory for Laser Energetics, University of Rochester); R. Petrasso (Massachusetts Institute of Technology)

Abstract: The purpose of the Laboratory for Laser Energetics at the University of Rochester is to study Laser driven inertial confinement fusion reactions.  One of the many nuclear diagnostics used to examine these reactions is the charged particle spectrometer.  The magnetic spectrometer is designed to detect the mass and energy of charged particles produced by either d-d or d-t reactions during the 1 nano-second burn time.  As the charged reaction products enter the spectrometer they are bent by its magnetic field through various paths and thus directed toward and detected by an array of CR-39 track emulsions. Upon impact with the emulsion, the particles produce holes in the CR-39. The hole diameter and depth is directly related to the mass and energy of the incident particle.  The 2 MV Van de Graaff accelerator at SUNY Geneseo was used to calibrate the track diameter and hole depth to the corresponding mass and energy. Protons of known energy, from 400 to 1000 KeV, were elastically scattered off gold foil such that they scattered on to CR-39 to calibrate proton tracks. Similarly, using the radioactive isotope AM241, 5.44 MeV alpha particles were directed toward the CR-39 and the resulting hole depth and diameter were used to calibrate alpha tracks. 

*Funded in part by the Department of Energy