Jean-Paul Davis

Pulsed-power-driven high energy density physics and inertial confinement fusion research

The Z accelerator [R. B. Spielman, W. A. Stygar, J. F. Seamen et al., Proceedings of the 11th International Pulsed Power Conference, Baltimore, MD, 1997, edited by G. Cooperstein and I. Vitkovitsky (IEEE, Piscataway, NJ, 1997), Vol. 1, p. 709] at Sandia National Laboratories delivers ∼20MA load currents to create high magnetic fields (>1000T) and high pressures (megabar to gigabar). In a z-pinch configuration, the magnetic pressure (the Lorentz force) supersonically implodes a plasma created from a cylindrical wire array, which at stagnation typically generates a plasma with energy densities of about 10MJ∕cm3 and temperatures >1keV at 0.1% of solid density. These plasmas produce x-ray energies approaching 2MJ at powers >200TW for inertial confinement fusion (ICF) and high energy density physics (HEDP) experiments. In an alternative configuration, the large magnetic pressure directly drives isentropic compression experiments to pressures >3Mbar and accelerates flyer plates to >30km∕s for equation of state ...

Magnetically driven isentropic compression to multimegabar pressures using shaped current pulses on the Z accelerator

A technique has previously been developed on the Z accelerator [R. B. Spielman et al., Phys. Plasmas 5, 2105 (1998)] to generate ramped compression waves in condensed matter for equation-of-state studies [C. A. Hall, J. R. Asay, M. D. Knudson, W. A. Stygar, R. B. Spielman, T. D. Pointon, D. B. Reisman, A. Toor, and R. C. Cauble, Rev. Sci. Instrum. 72, 3587 (2001)] by using the Lorentz force to push on solid electrodes rather than to drive a Z pinch. This technique has now been extended to multimegabar pressures by shaping the current pulse on Z to significantly increase the sample thickness through which the compression wave can propagate without forming a shock. Shockless, free-surface velocity measurements from multiple sample thicknesses on a single experiment can be analyzed using a backward integration technique [D. B. Hayes, C. A. Hall, J. R. Asay, and M. D. Knudson, J. Appl. Phys. 94, 2331 (2003)] to extract an isentropic loading curve. At very high pressures, the accuracy of this method is dominat...

Magnetically accelerated, ultrahigh velocity flyer plates for shock wave experiments

The intense magnetic field produced by the 20 MA Z accelerator is used as an impulsive pressure source to accelerate metal flyer plates to high velocity for the purpose of performing plate impact, shock wave experiments. This capability has been significantly enhanced by the recently developed pulse shaping capability of Z, which enables tailoring the rise time to peak current for a specific material and drive pressure to avoid shock formation within the flyer plate during acceleration. Consequently, full advantage can be taken of the available current to achieve the maximum possible magnetic drive pressure. In this way, peak magnetic drive pressures up to 490 GPa have been produced, which shocklessly accelerated 850μm aluminum (6061-T6) flyer plates to peak velocities of 34km∕s. We discuss magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) simulations that are used to optimize the magnetic pressure for a given flyer load and to determine the shape of the current rise time that precludes shock formation within the flyer during ac...

Experimental measurement of the principal isentrope for aluminum 6061-T6 to 240GPa

Using a magnetic pressure drive, an absolute measurement of stress and density along the principal compression isentrope is obtained for solid aluminum to 240GPa. Reduction of the free-surface velocity data relies on a backward integration technique, with approximate accounting for unknown systematic errors in experimental timing. Maximum experimental uncertainties are ±4.7% in stress and ±1.4% in density, small enough to distinguish between different equation-of-state (EOS) models. The result agrees well with a tabular EOS that uses an empirical universal zero-temperature isotherm.

Beryllium liner implosion experiments on the Z accelerator in preparation for magnetized liner inertial fusion

Multiple experimental campaigns have been executed to study the implosions of initially solid beryllium (Be) liners (tubes) on the Z pulsed-power accelerator. The implosions were driven by current pulses that rose from 0 to 20 MA in either 100 or 200 ns (200 ns for pulse shaping experiments). These studies were conducted in support of the recently proposed Magnetized Liner Inertial Fusion concept [Slutz et al., Phys. Plasmas 17, 056303 (2010)], as well as for exploring novel equation-of-state measurement techniques. The experiments used thick-walled liners that had an aspect ratio (initial outer radius divided by initial wall thickness) of either 3.2, 4, or 6. From these studies, we present three new primary results. First, we present radiographic images of imploding Be liners, where each liner contained a thin aluminum sleeve for enhancing the contrast and visibility of the liners inner surface in the images. These images allow us to assess the stability of the liners inner surface more accurately and more directly than was previously possible. Second, we present radiographic images taken early in the implosion (prior to any motion of the liners inner surface) of a shockwave propagating radially inward through the liner wall. Radial mass density profiles from these shock compression experiments are contrasted with profiles from experiments where the Z accelerators pulse shaping capabilities were used to achieve shockless (“quasi-isentropic”) liner compression. Third, we present “micro-B” measurements of azimuthal magnetic field penetration into the initially vacuum-filled interior of a shocked liner. Our measurements and simulations reveal that the penetration commences shortly after the shockwave breaks out from the liners inner surface. The field then accelerates this low-density “precursor” plasma to the axis of symmetry.

Yield strength of tantalum for shockless compression to 18 GPa

A magnetic loading technique was used to study the strength of pure, annealed, and cold-rolled polycrystalline tantalum under planar ramp loading at strain rates of ∼106/s. Both the initial yield strength and the flow strength after compression to peak loading stresses of 18 GPa were determined. For sample thicknesses ranging from 0.5–6.0 mm, it was found that the elastic limit of ∼3.2 GPa, corresponding to a yield strength of 1.6 GPa, for annealed Ta was sharply defined and essentially independent of sample thickness. After elastic yielding, relaxation of the longitudinal stress occurred for sample thicknesses greater than ∼0.5 mm, approaching an asymptotic value of ∼1.6 GPa. Two different purities of annealed Ta showed no difference in initial yield strength. Cold-rolling annealed Ta to 26% plastic strain resulted in a more dispersed elastic precursor with an amplitude of about 1.6 GPa and with no stress relaxation after yielding. Analysis of unloading wave profiles from the peak loading states allowed ...

Solid liner implosions on Z for producing multi-megabar, shockless compressions

Current pulse shaping techniques, originally developed for planar dynamic material experiments on the Z-machine [M. K. Matzen et al., Phys. Plasmas 12, 055503 (2005)], are adapted to the design of controlled cylindrical liner implosions. By driving these targets with a current pulse shape that prevents shock formation inside the liner, shock heating is avoided along with the corresponding decrease in electrical conductivity ahead of the magnetic diffusion wave penetrating the liner. This results in an imploding liner with a significant amount of its mass in the solid phase and at multi-megabar pressures. Pressures in the solid region of a shaped pulse driven beryllium liner fielded on the Z-machine are inferred to 5.5 Mbar, while simulations suggest implosion velocities greater than 50kms-1. These solid liner experiments are diagnosed with multi-frame monochromatic x-ray backlighting which is used to infer the material density and pressure. This work has led to a new platform on the Z-machine that can be used to perform off-Hugoniot measurements at higher pressures than are accessible through magnetically driven planar geometries.Current pulse shaping techniques, originally developed for planar dynamic material experiments on the Z-machine [M. K. Matzen et al., Phys. Plasmas 12, 055503 (2005)], are adapted to the design of controlled cylindrical liner implosions. By driving these targets with a current pulse shape that prevents shock formation inside the liner, shock heating is avoided along with the corresponding decrease in electrical conductivity ahead of the magnetic diffusion wave penetrating the liner. This results in an imploding liner with a significant amount of its mass in the solid phase and at multi-megabar pressures. Pressures in the solid region of a shaped pulse driven beryllium liner fielded on the Z-machine are inferred to 5.5 Mbar, while simulations suggest implosion velocities greater than 50kms-1. These solid liner experiments are diagnosed with multi-frame monochromatic x-ray backlighting which is used to infer the material density and pressure. This work has led to a new platform on the Z-machine that can be ...

Effect of initial properties on the flow strength of aluminum during quasi-isentropic compression

A magnetic loading technique was used to ramp load pure aluminum and 6061 aluminum alloy to peak stresses of approximately 29GPa. The peak loading rate was approximately 106∕s, followed by unloading from peak stress at a rate of about 105∕s. The pure aluminum samples had impurity levels ranging from about 10ppmto0.5wt% and average grain sizes in the range of 144–454μm. The 6061 alloy was prepared in either the T6 condition with grain sizes of 5–50μm, or in the T0 or T6 heat treatment condition with a grain size of about 40μm. A wave profile technique was used to estimate the compressive strength during unloading. It was found that the compressive strength estimated during unloading increased with peak stress for all materials and that the change in strength was insensitive to initial material properties. This observation is in agreement with previous results obtained from shock loading of the same materials [H. Huang and J. R. Asay, J. Appl. Phys. 98, 033524 (2005)] and suggests that the deformation mecha...

Time-dependence of the alpha to epsilon phase transformation in iron

Iron was ramp-compressed over timescales of 3 ≤ t(ns) ≤ 300 to study the time-dependence of the α→e (bcc→hcp) phase transformation. Onset stresses (σα→e)  for the transformation ∼14.8-38.4 GPa were determined through laser and magnetic ramp-compression techniques where the transition strain-rate was varied between 106 ≤μα→e(s−1) ≤ 5×108. We find σα→e= 10.8 + 0.55 ln(μα→e) for μα→e   106/s. This μ response is quite similar to recent results on incipient plasticity in Fe [Smith et al., J. Appl. Phys. 110, 123515 (2011)] suggesting that under high rate ramp compression the α→e phase transition and plastic deformation occur through similar mechanisms, e.g., the rate limiting step for μ > 106/s is due to phonon scattering from defects moving to relieve strain. We show that over-pressurization of equilibrium phase boundaries is a common feature exhibited under high strain-rate compression of many materials encompassing many orders of magnitude of strain-rate.

Scaling of K-Shell Emission From

Experiments in the last few years at the 20-MA Z Accelerator have produced significant K-shell X-ray output from a variety of initial load materials, including aluminum (1.7-keV photons, 400-kJ yield), argon (3.1-keV photons, 300-kJ yield), titanium (4.8-keV photons, 100-kJ yield), stainless steel (6.7-keV photons, 50-kJ yield), and copper (8.4-keV photons, 20-kJ yield). K-shell scaling theories developed at the Naval Research Laboratory [K. G. Whitney , Phys. Rev. E 50, 2166 (1994)] in the 1990s were benchmarked against the Al K-shell emission data from 10-MA facilities. The experiments at Z have not only led to a heuristic validation of this original theory but have also provided the data to fine tune the models for application to higher photon energies and for extension to higher current generators. The upgrade of the Z Accelerator to ZR, which will provide 26 MA to a -pinch load, should increase the radiated K-shell output for sources previously fielded at Z and will extend the range of photon energies where measurable radiation can be observed, which is likely up to 13 keV. A summary of the K-shell experiments at Z is presented, as well as an overview of the modified empirical-scaling theory. Proposed load configurations for ZR are discussed, as well as predictions for K-shell output.