PLASMA ACCELERATORS FOR MATERIALS STUDY INVESTIGATIONS AND TECHNOLOGIES

The electrodynamic plasma accelerators with the pulsed gas puffing of the working gas cover the wide range of plasma flux parameters, making them attractive for application in various fields of science and engineering. Several modifications of such accelerators with extremely high values of energy density in the plasma flow (up to 12 kJ/cm2) have been developed, manufactured and operated at the NIIEFA. These plasma accelerators are used in experimental facilities to test the candidate fusion materials for damageability (VIKA, SPRUT facilities). The plasma accelerators with lesser values of specific energy (100 J/cm2) can be used to good advantage in the plasma technology facilities to modify the metal surface layers with the aim of strengthening, improving the corrosion resistance, polishing the ceramic surfaces, etc., as well as for microelectronics applications (ion implantation accompanied by annealing). The accelerators are highly efficient, compact, simple and reliable in operation.

Technical characteristics	Numerical values
Plasma flow, sm	3 - 10
Particle flow, 1/cm²s	about 1024
Specific energy in flow, J/cm²	10 - 104
Ion energy, eV	<=250
Pulse length, sec	10-4 - 10-3
Operation regime	pulsed