Experimental studies of intense light-ion beam transport

Experiments have been performed at the Naval Research Laboratory which have demonstrated the efficient confinement and transport of intense (1 Mev, 30–50 kA/cm², 50 ns) light-ion beams in wall-stabilized z-discharge plasma channels up to 5 m long. Measurements of transport efficiency and particle energy loss in the channels have been made and the plasma physics of the channel formation investigated. Recently the field-free propagation and expansion of the transported beams along with the effect of channel transport on beam quality have been studied. These experiments have led to an efficient, modularized, rep-ratable beam transport system design.