Hostname: page-component-7c8c6479df-5xszh Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-03-28T13:30:41.429Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Plasma diagnostics by means of the scattering of electrons and proton beams

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  26 July 2007

E. Nardi
Affiliation:
Faculty of Physics, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovoth Israel
Y. Maron
Affiliation:
Faculty of Physics, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovoth Israel
D.H.H. Hoffmann
Affiliation:
GSI-Darmstadt and Institut für Kernphysik, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Darmstadt, Germany

Abstract

Scattering of energetic electron and proton beams by cold matter is significantly different from the scattering of these particles by plasma, which may be either highly ionized or dense strongly coupled plasma. This is due to the difference in the shielding of the target nuclei between the two cases. Quantitatively, we treat the problem by means of the Bethe Moliere multiple scattering theory and the version of this theory for plasma as derived by Lampe. We propose to use this effect as a plasma diagnostic tool, utilizing monoenergetic, well-collimated electron or proton beams produced either by femtosecond laser plasma interactions or by accelerators. The effect is first illustrated for simplicity, by calculating the widths of the angular distribution of scattered particles interacting with the extreme cases of very hot fully ionized carbon, and iron plasmas, and comparing these results to the corresponding cold material. The more relevant case of electron scattering from partially ionized iron and carbon plasmas covering the entire range from a cold to a completely ionized target is also dealt with here. This paper brings up and highlights the difference between scattering by plasma and by cold material in light of the recent proposals to employ particle beams for various fusion applications.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
© 2007 Cambridge University Press

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)