Proton-boron fusion in a compact scheme of plasma oscillatory confinement
Yu. K. Kurilenkov, А. В. Огинов, В. П. Тараканов, S. Yu. Gus’kov, I. S. Samoylov
Abstract
We present the results of experiments on the aneutronic fusion of proton-boron (pB) in a single miniature device with electrodynamic (oscillatory) plasma confinement. The device is based on a low energy $(\ensuremath{\sim}1--2 \mathrm{J})$ nanosecond vacuum discharge with a virtual cathode, the field of which accelerates protons and boron ions to the energies required for pB synthesis $(\ensuremath{\sim}100--300 \mathrm{keV})$ under oscillating ions' head-on collisions. The yields of $\ensuremath{\alpha}$ particles registered for different conditions of the experiment are presented and discussed in detail. The experiment was preceded by particle-in-cell modeling of main processes accompanying pB reaction within the framework of the full electromagnetic code karat. The summary yield of $\ensuremath{\alpha}$ particles of about $5\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{4}/4\ensuremath{\pi}$ was obtained during the pulse-periodic operation of the generator within total $4\phantom{\rule{4pt}{0ex}}\ensuremath{\mu}\mathrm{s}$ of the high voltage applied, which is $\ensuremath{\sim}10\phantom{\rule{4pt}{0ex}}\ensuremath{\alpha}$ particles/ns.