The results of experimental studies of the neutron field characteristics with an energy of 14.7 MeV created by the portable neutron generator NG-14 are presented. The measurements were made using a fast neutron radiometer based on a diamond detector. The neutron beam from the neutron generator’s target passed through a massive collimator made of steel. Analysis of the amplitude spectra of the diamond detector, caused by the registration of fast neutrons, made it possible to determine the following characteristics of the neutron field: the flux density of direct neutrons, the flux density of neutrons scattered in the collimator, and the energy spectrum of neutron radiation. Based on the obtained energy spectra, the kerma of neutron radiation in the water phantom and the dose rate of scattered neutrons behind the collimator with an energy higher than 0.5 MeV were calculated.

An advanced microwave plasma reactor ARDIS 300 was used to synthesize homoepitaxial structures of monocrystal diamond films at Project Center ITER. High-quality epitaxial diamond films were grown on boron-doped monocrystal diamond substrates using microwave plasma-assisted chemical vapor deposition from methane-hydrogen mixture. Structural and impurity perfection of diamond films were characterized by Raman spectroscopy, photoluminescence, and optical absorption. Prototypes of radiation detectors were created on the basis of grown diamond films with thickness 70-80 μm. The p-type substrate with boron concentration ~100 ppm served as an electrical contact. Detectors were irradiated by 5.5 MeV α-particles and 14.7 MeV neutrons, corresponding pulse height spectra were measured and detector sensitivities were determined. Charge collection efficiency for synthesized diamond was shown to achieve 94% and 91% when ~4 V/m electric field applied.

New fusion devices are being discussed in Russia. One item is a superconducting magnet development for the demonstration hybrid facility-fusion neutron source based on a tokamak concept with the conventional aspect ratio ~3. The magnetic parameters of this device are planned to be: 5 Ton the plasma axis and about 12 Ton the high field side of the toroidal field coils. Because of a high neutron flow and a thick shielding, the space remained for the inner legs of the toroidal field coil is very tight. Therefore, a very high current density is needed for the windings. Several magnet designs have been addressed up to now with required engineering critical current density sim 1000 A/mm 2 at least. In this review, we present conceptual design of the magnet system, necessary strand parameters, and their irradiation properties. Few possible designs of the toroidal field, conductors are discussed. The R&D of efficient HTS current leads to be used for fusion machines are discussed as well.

The method and results of synthesizing carbon nanotubes and onion-like structures by the sublimation of a mixture of a carbon powder with a catalyst (Y2(CO3)3) in the plasma flow of an inert gas (argon) generated in an rf plasmatron are described. Carbon vapors are condensed into fullerene-containing soot onto various materials (Al, Cu, Ti, stainless steel) placed in the working chamber of an experimental setup. The composition of the synthesized soot is analyzed by modern highly informative methods (Raman spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction). Single-wall carbon nanotubes of a small diameter (1.2 nm) and onion-like structures 10–20 nm in size are formed in experiments. In a reference experiment on a mixture of argon and methane, a material, which consists of a mixture of amorphous carbon, nanosized graphite, and graphite with a crystallite size of several microns, is synthesized. The effect of the substrate material, the gas pressure, and the plasma flow velocity on the formation of carbon nanotubes is studied.

The results of synthesis of carbon onionlike nanostructures from methane in plasma flow of inert gas (argon) generated in induction high-frequency plasmatron are considered and discussed. Carbon vapor obtained via dissociation of methane in plasma flow was condensed on copper substrates placed in a working chamber of the setup. The content of the synthesized soot was analyzed using scanning and transmission electron microscopy. As a result of the performed experiments, carbon onionlike structures with 20- to 100-nm sizes were obtained.

Приведены результаты расчета нейтронных полей в каналах коллиматоров новой конструкции вертикальной нейтронной камеры (в.н.к.) ИТЭР для штатного объемного изотропного источника термоядерных нейтронов. Рассчитаны спектры и плотности потоков нейтронного и -излучений в зонах расположения детекторов. Выполнена оценка отношения сигнал/фон для детекторов в.н.к. – камер деления на основе 238U и алмазных детекторов. Для последних в режиме работы пороговых счетчиков рассчитаны отношения сигнал/фон в зависимости от энергии порога дискриминации. Получена оценка влияния фонового -излучения на работу алмазных детекторов в условиях в.н.к. Рассчитано тепловыделение в элементах конструкции в.н.к. Продемонстрирована работоспособность в.н.к. предложенной конструкции.

The operating conditions of a neutron diagnostic systems which are responsible for measuring of the total neutron yield in the ITER tokamak reactor are analyzed. Based on results of neutronic calculations and analysis of suitable methods for measuring the neutron yield, a concept of a system for neutron flux measurement in the divertor is proposed. The design for the neutron flux monitor located in the divertor cassette of the tokamak is selected in view of the requirements specified for the neutron diagnostic system of the ITER and its operating conditions. Several fission chambers with different sensitivities and radiator materials will be used for measurements. System is capable of neutron fluxes measuring over the entire dynamic range of the ITER neutron yield with an error of delta < 10% and a time resolution of 1 ms that are necessary for studying the physical phenomena of ignition and burning plasma. The problems of carrying out of the divertor neutron monitor efficiency calibration with the aim to measure the absolute value of the neutron yield in the ITER tokamak reactor are also discussed.

To study the evolution of the distribution function of fast ions with an ultimately high time resolution during both injection of neutrals and ion cyclotron plasma heating on the JET tokamak, we have developed a system for spectrometry of fast charge-exchange atoms, which consists of a spectrometric natural-diamond detector and a digital spectrometric channel. The main elements of the spectrometric system—the diamond detector, a noise-immune charge-sensitive preamplifier, and a fast analog-to-digital converter (ADC)—have been manufactured explicitly for use in spectrometry of fast charge-exchange atoms on the JET tokamak at high counting rates. The diamond detector that ensures the spectrometry of hydrogen atoms in the energy range 20–5000 keV is installed in the equatorial plane at an 18-m distance from the plasma axis at the end of the vacuum channel created for X-ray spectroscopy. A fast 14-bit ADC with 100-MHz sampling frequency and a 2-GB memory digitizes the preamplifier output signal. The developed digital spectrometric system can operate at a counting rate of up to ∼10 7 counts/s. Laboratory tests of the developed spectrometric system have shown that its energy resolution is no worse than the resolution of a similar analog system. In the experiments on the JET, the diamond digital spectrometric system ensures recording of the energy distributions of fast charge-exchange atoms with energies >40 keV.

Results are presented from experimental and theoretical studies of the heating of a hydrogen plasma with a lithium admixture at the fundamental ion-cyclotron frequency of hydrogen in the T-11M tokamak. It is found experimentally that the action of RF radiation on a hydrogen plasma containing a small amount (less than 4%) of lithium increases the duration of the discharge current pulse. The effect of the increase in the discharge current pulse under the action of RF radiation is simulated numerically.

A fiber-optic ionizing-radiation detector is composed of a scintillation sensor, an optical fiber, and a photodetector. Due to the miniature size and the high radiation resistance, the detector is capable of measuring the characteristics of powerful neutron and γ-ray fields with a high spatial resolution. A prototype of the detector has been tested using a 60 Co γ-ray source with a dose rate as great as 200 R/S. The dynamic range of dose measurements is no less than 10 5 . The detector signal is linearly dependent on the radiation dose rate. The ratio of the useful signal to the background due to radioluminescence of the optical fiber is presented for different types of scintillators.

Monte-Carlo calculations of the fluxes of forward and scattered neutrons at points of arrangement of the detectors for the analyzed design of the ITER multichannel vertical neutron collimator have been performed with the MCNP model. A concept of a vertical neutron collimator positioned in the diverter port is proposed, and the efficiency of its application for determining the spatial distribution of the ITER tokamak reactor’s neutron source is demonstrated with allowance for the calculation results and the possibilities of integrating the collimator into the ITER structure.

A measuring system has been developed to investigate the characteristics of radiation-induced optical absorption and radioluminescence in the spectral range of 400–1000 nm for a set of optical fibers being irradiated by fast neutrons and γ rays. This system has been used on the IR-8 research nuclear reactor to perform comparative tests of eight types of silica optical fibers from Heraeus (Germany), Fujikura (Japan), Mitsubishi (Japan), and the Fiber Optics Research Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences’ Prokhorov General Physics Institute. The measured dependences of the induced absorption and radioluminescence intensity versus the nuclear radiation wavelength, flux, and fluence, as well as the temperature, are analyzed. The microscopic mechanisms of induced absorption and radioluminescence are discussed. The values of induced optical absorption and radioluminescence in glass fibers containing H 2 gas and having a hermetic coating (the technology for producing such fibers has been developed by the Fiber Optics Research Center) is found to be many times smaller than in other fibers.

The operating conditions of a neutron diagnostic system responsible for measuring the neutron yield in the ITER tokamak reactor are analyzed. Based on results of physical calculations and analysis of suitable methods for measuring the neutron yield, an original concept of a system for measuring neutron fluxed in the divertor zone of the ITER is proposed. The design for the neutron flux monitor located in the divertor zone of the tokamak is selected in view of the requirements specified for the neutron diagnostic system of the ITER and its operating conditions. Four fission chambers with different sensitivities and radiator materials are used as sensitive elements of the monitor. This system is capable of measuring neutron fluxes over the entire dynamic range of the neutron yield in the ITER with an error of ≤10% and a time resolution of 1 ms that are necessary for studying the physical mechanism of thermonuclear plasma ignition and burning. Several possible variants for housing the detector unit inside the divertor assembly and integrating it in the existing project are proposed. The problems of carrying out efficiency calibration of the divertor neutron monitor with the aim of determining the absolute value of the neutron yield in the ITER tokamak reactor are discussed.

Results are presented from investigations of the possibility of heating a hydrogen plasma at the fundamental harmonic of the ion cyclotron frequency in the T-11M tokamak. The fluxes of charge-exchange atoms that escape from the plasma in the radial direction and across the toroidal magnetic field (transverse neutrals) were recorded by a Lakmus neutral particle analyzer. Measurements by the analyzer show that, during an RF pulse, the ion temperature increases by approximately 50–100 eV. Such plasma parameters as the ion temperature, rotation velocity, and isotopic composition were measured by a high-resolution spectrometer. According to the data from high-resolution spectroscopy, the ion temperature increases by approximately 150 eV. Results from numerical simulations of the ion cyclotron resonance heating of a hydrogen plasma in the T-11M tokamak are also given.

A new method for measuring the flux density and fluence of fast neutrons in a RBMK core, using a threshold ionization fission chamber with a 238 U radiator, and a computational-experimental method based on threshold chambers for fissioning of 238 U with enrichment at least 99.999% are proposed. A method is proposed for taking account of the correction factors for the change in sensitivity of threshold fission chambers with and without screens on the basis of RBMK-1000 fast-neutron spectra determined experimentally by the activation method.