Hydrogen ion emission studies in 4π plasma focus device space

Abstract Plasma focus devices (PFD) produce copious flux of ions in particular hydrogen ions in 4π space. To achieve dense plasma pinch and then the emission of hydrogen ions at a voltage of 13 kV, experiments have been carried out at various gas pressures inside the chamber. Discharge current signals were recorded by Rogowski coil to choose only discharges with a high degree of current sheath symmetry and plasma pinch formation. Wide-angle 3D images of hydrogen ion emissions were efficiently formed for the first time in our laboratory on novel position-sensitive panorama mega-size cylindrical polycarbonate image detectors (MS-CPID) processed in self-invented panorama mega-size single-cell electrochemical etching (MS-ECE) systems. Hydrogen ion emission images are simply observed and analyzed by the unaided eyes. Near 4π wide-angle hydrogen ion image detection, iso-fluence contours, fluence on polar angle distributions, and hydrogen ion energy estimation were studied. MS-CPID/MS-ECE methods are breakthrough ion image detection art and technology for hydrogen ion plasma mechanism studies with provision of 4π position-sensitive data matrix bank. Studies confirm 4π hydrogen ion emission from “anode top” and radial ion run-aways from “anode assembly” forming “hydrogen cathode shadows” on MS-CPIDs making 4π PFD space availability evident for full-scope large-scale advanced hydrogen ion mechanism studies and applications.