Plasma-beam measurements. Final report, Jan-Oct 89

Coaxial plasma gun plasma parameters were determined using a diagnostic array to observe electron density, temperature, luminosity, beam target interactions, target luminosity, magnetic fields and ion species. Diagnostics included He-Ne and CO2 laser and 94 GHz microwave interferometry, visible spectrometry using an optical multichannel analyzer, rotating mirror fast framing camera, gated microchannel plate framing cameras, optical vacuum photodiodes, X-ray diodes and inductive magnetic probes. The plasma gun was operated with 126 or 252 microfarads, 18 kV discharges with Ar or H gas. For these conditions, 70-80 km/s average plasma velocity and 0.5-2 eV plasma electron temperature was observed. The dominant plasma ionic species was Si+1 with a quartz insulator; with an alumina insulator, Al+1 and Al+2 were the dominant species. The plasma was self-luminous for 1.5-3 m. Interferometry showed averaged electron densities of 10 to the 15th power/cc. The plasma showed MHD instabilities. Plasma currents were 0.5-1.5 kA. Fast plasma velocities contributed less than 1 percent of the total beam energy.