Besides the primary emission of a 14MeV neutron, the fusion reaction of Deuterium and Tritium may instead lead to the emission of a 17MeV gamma-ray, with a 2.4 ⋅ 10⁻⁵ probability [1]. A novel approach for measuring the fusion power at ITER has been suggested based on the absolute measurement of these gamma-rays, using the plasma's gamma ray emission detected by ITER's Radial Gamma Ray...
Abstract—A vertical single channel 0.65THz solid-source interferometer (SSI) has been established on Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST) for real-time electron density measurement and feedback. A novel terahertz line array detection scheme is proposed to improve the spatial resolution of the SSI. By employing high-power solid-state diode sources and an AlGaN/GaN line array...
Spectroscopic analyses are between the most used methodologies to investigate any state of matter. In fact, from the analysis of the electromagnetic spectra it is possible to extract several quantities that are characteristics of the analysed medium. Therefore, the spectrum must usually be analysed and computed by some specific algorithms, such as pre-processing and calibration tools, to...
Upper and lower graphite divertors in Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST tokamak) were replaced by tungsten divertors in 2014 and 2021, respectively. And boronization was performed in EAST to improve plasma performance in long pulse discharges and accumulate experiences for ITER operation with tungsten wall. Therefore, studies on the behavior of tungsten and boron and other...
The interaction of high-power laser pulses with matter produces electromagnetic radiation with a broad frequency spectrum, ranging from the MHz up to the THz range [1,2]. These pulsed fields (known as Electromagnetic Pulses: EMPs) can reach intensities of the MV/m order at meter distance from the interaction point and are, therefore, often considered as a hazard in laser-plasma experiments,...
Spectroscopic and microscopic techniques adopted for the characterization of ceramic plasma discharge capillaries, designed for high repetition rate plasma-based particle accelerators
An autoencoder (AE) is an unsupervised artificial neural network used to learn data patterns. By compressing data, an input signal is encoded into latent space variables and then decoded to reconstruct the input from these variables. This compression process, a form of dimensionality reduction, retains only the intrinsic characteristics of the signal, excluding non-descriptive elements. This...
The Advanced X-Ray Imaging (AXIm) group at University College London has developed technology that enables x-ray phase contrast imaging (XPCI) to be performed with conventional x-ray sources. The group is now engaging with industrial collaborators to seek translation of the developed technology.
The most advanced applications, which have reached the pre-commercial prototype stage, are...
The measurement of the radiation emitted by tokamak plasmas is essential for both control and the investigation of the physics. Radiation represents an energy loss, and its quantification is therefore crucial for power balance assessments. Localized plasma cooling can lead to anomalies in electron temperature, such as hollowness in the core or cooling of the edge, thereby causing instability...
As the world seeks sustainable and low-carbon energy sources, nuclear fusion has emerged as a promising solution with its potential to generate vast amounts of clean energy as well as nuclear fission is considered by many countries that closed the nuclear fission programs many years ago like Italy. This study analyses the methods for risk evaluation of fusion and fission plants (approached...
At present the advent of ultrahigh precision measurements (<0.3% of relative uncertainty) in ^14^C relative abundances has drastically improved the quality of produced data. Such performance improvement projects its benefits (high sensitivity) over chronological data and/or sequences some-time highlighting the necessity to review usually applied assumptions for dating due to first order like...
We report a study of laboratory plasmas with density ($n_e$) and temperature ($T_e$) close to those of solar chromosphere and photosphere. The dense plasmas produced in supercritical fluids [Nature Commun. 12, 4630 (2021)] by ns laser pulse show blackbody emission spectra, which gives $T_e \sim 1$ eV. The Saha equation modified by ionization potential depression gives $n_e ~ 10^{21}$...
In this work we report on the chemical characterization of metallic tiles of interest for nuclear fusion technology by using the Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) technique. The LIBS system used was designed to be compact and light, equipped with a sub-ns laser and suitable to be mounted on the Joint-European-Torus (JET) robotic arm. The coatings, composed of tungsten (W), Molybdenum...
"Clinical data in sepsis management –AI and clinical decision support systems at the Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICU) in hospitals."
Karolina Tądel MCs1,3; prof. UEW, dr hab. Andrzej Dudek 2; prof UMW dr hab. Iwona Bil-Lula 1
1 Wroclaw Medical University, Faculty of Pharmacy, Department of Medical Laboratory Diagnostics, 211 Borowska Street, 50-556 Wroclaw
2 Wroclaw University of...
We demonstrate a compact ion beam device capable of accelerating H+ and D+ ions up to 75 keV energy, onto a solid target, with sufficient beam current to study fusion reactions. The ion beam system uses a microwave driven plasma source to generate ions that are accelerated to high energy with a direct current (DC) acceleration structure. The plasma source is driven by pulsed microwaves from a...
Diagnosing plasma parameters in next-generation fusion reactors like DEMO [1] poses a challenge due to limited in-vessel access and harsh environments. Millimeter-wave diagnostics offer a robust solution to measure electron density, but achieving comprehensive plasma coverage, essential for plasma position and shape control [2], requires large number of probing channels with wide frequency...
Innovative technologies play a crucial role in the protection and conservation of cultural heritage against anthropogenic risks and climate change. In particular, multi-analytical approach offers comprehensive surveillance capabilities, identifying potential threats and damages [1]. In this sense, a multi-sensor scanning system able to acquire spectroscopic images using different techniques...
The Collective Thomson Scattering (CTS) diagnostic will be a primary diagnostic for measuring the dynamics of the confined fusion born alpha particles for burning plasma experimental superconducting tokamak (BEST), and will be the only diagnostic for measuring D/T ratio. The proposed CTS diagnostic system for BEST provides the unique capability of measuring the temporally and spatially...
The Divertor Tokamak Test (DTT), currently under construction at ENEA in Frascati, represents a crucial step in the development of magnetic confinement nuclear fusion [1]. DTT is a fully superconducting, high magnetic field tokamak, designed to significantly contribute to the integrated study of various divertor configurations. The diagnostic equipment includes advanced diagnostic systems for...
M. Scholz1*, U. Wiącek1, K. Drozdowicz1, A. Jardin1, U. Woźnicka1, A Kurowski1, A. Kulińska1, W. Dąbrowski2, B. Łach2, D. Mazon3, V. Gerenton4
Measuring fusion neutron spectra can give important information on ion fuel ratio and ion temperature, which are the goals of the High-Resolution Neutron Spectrometry (HRNS) on ITER [1]. This role is foreseen to be fulfilled by the HRNS system,...
Helimak is a plasma experimental device with a helical magnetic field and a toroidal vacuum vessel. The structure of Helimak is similar to that of a tokamak, which make it possible to simulate a tokamak-like in-vessel environment. Low operating costs make it a validation platform for wall conditioning technology of fusion devices.
Microwave reflectometry is a widely used plasma density...
The well-known physical properties of Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD) diamonds have made them highly attractive for use as detectors in harsh environments characterized by high irradiation levels, such as those found in fusion machines [1]. Notably, their good radiation hardness, visible wavelength blindness, high carriers’ mobility, and high signal-to-noise ratio make diamond a promising...
Wendelstein 7-X (W7-X) is the largest and most advanced superconducting stellarator currently in operation. The primary objective is to demonstrate the ability to maintain a steady-state plasma with fusion-relevant plasma parameters and thus proving that the stellarator is a viable fusion power plant concept. In the most recent test campaign, the new and fully water-cooled divertor was tested...
Future fusion reactors will differ significantly in many ways from the current fusion devices. The main goal of the current experiments is to measure as much information as possible about the state and temporal evolution of the plasma, in parallel performing technology tests. In future reactors, diagnostics will only serve plasma control functions[1]. In a commercial power plant, the number of...
The muon anomalous magnetic moment, $a_\mu=\frac{g-2}{2}$, is a low-energy observable which can be both measured and computed to high precision, making it a sensitive test of the Standard Model and a probe for new physics. This anomaly was measured with a precision of 0.20 parts per million (ppm) by the Fermilab's E989 experiment. The final goal of the E989 experiment is to reach a precision...
In the frame of the research of new, non-invasive, and reliable diagnostic methods for the detection of tumor pathology, a systematic feasibility study was performed at Linköping University, Sweden, based on an electronic nose (e-nose) approach, which provided a very high percentage of agreement with the clinical diagnosis. The device consists of 32 metal-oxide chemical sensors configured in...
The Future Circular Collider (FCC) project aims to construct the next-generation accelerator of the CERN complex. The primary objective is to build a 90 km electron-positron collider (FCCee), designed to operate at beam energies ranging from 45.6 to 182.5 GeV. The immense scale of this machine and the unprecedented properties of its beams present significant challenges for beam diagnostics....
The EuPRAXIA Advanced Photon Source (EuAPS) will be the first user-oriented radiation source based on betatron radiation, and it is currently under development at Laboratori Nazionali di Frascati - INFN at the FLAME laser facility.
Betatron radiation is emitted due to the betatron oscillations of electrons in a plasma during the Laser WakeField Acceleration (LWFA) process. An intense laser...
The TOMAS device, located at the Forschungszentrum Jülich (Germany), is dedicated to studies of wall conditioning, plasma production, and plasma-wall interaction, providing a versatile experimental environment that supports activities related to superconducting fusion devices such as W7-X, JT-60SA, and ITER.
TOMAS is a fully metallic plasma device with a major radius of 0.78 m and a minor...
In the past decade, organometal halide perovskites (OMHP) semiconductors have been studied as sensors for ionization radiation and X-ray detectors, beside the well known success as photovoltaic devices. Properties such as simple single crystal growth from low-cost solution processes, high stopping power, defect-tolerance, large mobility-lifetime product and tunable bandgap make OMHP very...
Magneto-hydrodynamics instabilities (MHD) like Magnetic Islands can appear in the plasma of magnetically confined fusion reactors because of (neo-classical) tearing modes (NTM). NTMs perturb the magnetic equilibrium configuration creating shortcuts for the heat and particle radial transport, hence affecting the confinement, reducing the plasma internal pressure and in turns reducing the...
Thin diamond detectors have proven to be excellent diagnostic tools for plasma diagnostic in a tokamak machine for the detection of soft X (SX) and UV radiation [1]. Furthermore, thanks to the excellent physical properties of diamond, i.e. wide band-gap, fast response time and radiation hardness, diamond detectors are among the alternative diagnostic tools in the next generation fusion...
Nuclear fusion offers the potential for an almost limitless and clean energy source.
Achieving controlled fusion necessitates the confinement of hot plasmas within devices
called tokamaks, which use magnetic fields for this purpose. Accurate measurement of
total radiation and impurities in these plasmas is crucial for optimizing performance and
ensuring safety.
Bolometers, which provide...
Within the scope of magnetic confinement fusion experiments, a Gas Electron Multiplier (GEM)-based detector was employed during the 2023 experimental campaigns at the MASTU (Mega Amp Spherical Tokamak) spherical tokamak to investigate the Soft X-Ray (SXR) radiation (0.1-20 keV) emanating from the plasma. GEM detectors are promising candidates as SXR diagnostics on the next generation on fusion...
The Polarimetry measurements, i.e. Faraday Rotation(FR) and Cotton-Mouton Phase Shift (CM), are useful as constraint for the determination of the plasma equilibrium and for the measurement of the plasma density, respectively [1,2]. The modelling tool for polarimetry, tested on JET data, is the Stokes model [3], where FR and CM are calculated using the spatial profile of the components Br and...
Charge eXchange Recombination Spectroscopy (CXRS) diagnostic is widely deployed in fusion experimental devices as an effective method for the local measurement of key parameters such as plasma temperature, rotation velocity and impurity density. Designated to fulfill the requirements for International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) CXRS diagnostic measurements, the RF-DA has...
The effective ion charge, Zeff, is a key parameter in magnetic confinement fusion plasma, quantifying the average ionization state of impurities and is critical for assessing plasma impurity level and radial impurity distribution. In ITER tokamak, the expected Zeff is around 1.8, with permissible variations limited to ±0.2. The visible bremsstrahlung measurement is a useful tool for measuring...
Ionizing radiation has been used globally for decades across various fields, including industry, medicine, food, agriculture, and environmental science, as well as in space and nuclear applications. One notable use is in Cultural Heritage (CH) preservation, where gamma rays, X-rays and electrons can be successfully used to disinfect and disinfest historical materials (e.g., paper, parchment,...
Laser-induced graphene (LIG) is prepared by single step laser writing processes on many carbonaceous material [1]. By Raman spectroscopy it is observed that the laser scribing on a polymeric material with hexagonal structure, such as polyimmide (Kapton), induces a breaking of C-O, C=O and C-N bonds, with consequent rearrengement of carbon atoms to form a graphene structure. Depending on the...
In recent years, olive trees have been increasingly threatened by "Olive Quick Decline Syndrome" (OQDS), a disease caused by the harmful bacterium Xylella fastidiosa. This disease poses a significant challenge in Europe, especially in Italy, where olive oil production plays a major economic role. The syndrome harms the plant by thinning the xylem tissue, which disrupts the flow of water...
New X-ray spectra of tungsten have been observed using the X-ray Crystal Spectrometer (XCS) on the Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST). The wavelength of these new x-ray spectra ranges from 3.895 Å to 3.986 Å. It is tentatively determined that the unidentified spectra measured by X-ray crystal spectrometer in EAST are emitted from W43+, W44+ and W45+ [1]. However, there is no...
Precision medicine aims to provide highly personalized responses to clinical needs. To achieve this goal, doctors need to have more patient-specific information for diagnosis and a better understanding of the effects of the therapies. Hence, there is the urgent demand of new diagnostic and prediction tools. In silico models can be powerful tools to achieve these goals, but they still have...
One of the milestones to be achieved in the design of the bolometric diagnostics for the new Italian Divertor Tokamak Test (DTT) project [1] is the estimation of the radiated power for the start of the operation, i.e the so called Phase 1. Such an achievement has several implications, ranging from the scientific analysis and planning of the discharges between shots to the feedback protection...
High electron temperature(Te) is an important parameter for future fusion reactors. Among the most common techniques used to evaluate Te are incoherent Thomson scattering (TS) and electron cyclotron emission (ECE). Due to the different diagnostic application conditions brought by different measurement principles and certain limitations of technology, it is difficult to maintain absolute...
Plasma acceleration is a novel technique for a large variety of applications, including radiation sources of new generation. X-ray sources based on betatron radiation from plasma accelerators hold promise as compact, innovative and highly accessible solutions for radiation users. The key feature that makes these sources unique, lies in the shortness of the pulses delivered, falling in the...
The Southern European Thomson Back-Scattering (TBS) source for Applied Research (STAR) is a cutting-edge high-energy photon facility situated on the campus of the University of Calabria (UniCal). Recognized as a national Research Infrastructure within the Italian Research Infrastructure Plan (PNIR) 2021-2027, STAR represents a significant milestone in integrating large-scale scientific...
The long journey of correlative microscopy (CM) began in 1945 when Keith Porter conducted pioneering studies demonstrating that specific details within specimens could be observed and characterized using both light microscopy (LM) and electron microscopy (EM) with proper sample preparation. Subsequent comparative attempts followed, thanks to contributions from McDonald, Pease, Hayes, and...
To efficiently control and monitor the usage of D2O is of paramount importance in many research domains. In the biomedical field, D2O detection is essential for metabolic studies and tracing water in biological tissues, providing new tools for medical and clinical research. In the nuclear sector, monitoring D2O is crucial for controlling fission processes since it is used both as coolant and...
In JET and future fusion reactors, thick co-deposited layers will be formed on their inner walls during extended plasma operations. Experiments in present-day fusion devices indicate these layers to consist of eroded plasma facing materials, various impurities in the edge parts of the fusion plasma, and actual plasma fuel species deuterium and tritium. Monitoring the inventory of the...
The measurement of electron temperature ( Te) is done in tokamak plasmas mainly by Electron Cyclotron Emission(ECE) and using the Thomson scattered laser radiation(TS).
Recently these measurements were reviewed in the JET ( Joint European Torus) DTE2 (second deuterium-tritium campaign) and differences Te_ECE – Te_TS were detected in particular at high electron temperature...
The SPARC_LAB facility at the INFN laboratory in Frascati is being upgraded to accommodate a new user facility as part of the SABINA (Source of Advanced Beam Imaging for Novel Applications) project. The SPARC laboratory was set up to investigate the feasibility of an ultra-brilliant photoinjector and to perform FEL experiments. Over the years, upgrades, additional beamlines, and experiments...
In many scientific and engineering endeavours, the diagnostic of several quantities is complex, indirect, and rely on several simplifying assumptions that are not always exact. Especially in these cases, the integration of measurements with physical knowledge is the most performant way to obtain accurate and reliable results. Despite this, the fusion of partial differential equations (PDEs)...
One consolidated technique for the treatment of cancer is Targeted Radionuclide Therapy (TRT). With this technique, radionuclides are attached to a specific drug that is able to bring them to the target tumor site [1]. The ISOLPHARM project is currently developing a radiopharmaceutical for TRT based on Ag-111, an innovative radionuclide [2] [3]. Ag-111 has a half-life of 7.45 days and decays...
Besides the well known emission of a 14 MeV neutron and a 3.5 MeV alpha particle, the D-T fusion reaction may also evolve with a secondary branch in which a 17 MeV gamma-ray is emitted together with a 5He nucleus. The physical properties of this secondary branch, though, were poorly known because of its very low probability to occur of about 10-5.
The second and third D-T experimental ...
The Divertor Tokamak Test (DTT) facility [1] will feature a poloidally distributed O-mode plasma position microwave reflectometry (PPR) system, crucial for future reactors, where in- vessel magnetic sensors for position control will be limited by high neutron flux and long pulse durations. The DTT PPR system will have a number of Lines of Sight (LOS) at the Low Field Side equatorial and...
Plasma Position Reflectometry (PPR) is taking an important role in next generation fusion machines, such as DEMO, as a diagnostic to monitor the position and shape of the plasma, complementing magnetic diagnostics. The Divertor Test Tokamak Facility (DTT) presents itself as the perfect machine to implement, develop and test PPR systems, contributing in this way to the gain of a knowledge...
The detection of gravitational waves requires the ability to measure extremely small effects, specifically variations in the length of the interferometer arms that are 1000 times smaller than the size of a proton.
Central to the success of detectors such as Virgo and LIGO are advanced optical technologies that enable unprecedented sensitivity and precision in the control of the interferometer...
High spatial resolution edge Thomson scattering diagnostic is important for fusion research. The electron temperature and density profiles of plasma are basic parameters in the study of Tokamak plasma physics, so the development of high spatiotemporal resolution edge Thomson scattering diagnostic has been carried out in many major tokamak devices, such as DIII-D[1], JT-60U[2], JET[3], EAST[4],...
M.A. Vincenti1,*, R.M. Montereali1,2, E. Nichelatti3, V. Nigro1, M. Piccinini1, M. Koenig4, P. Mabey5, G. Rigon4,6, H.J. Dabrowski4, Y. Benkadoum4, P. Mercere7, P. Da Silva7, T. Pikuz8, N. Ozaki9, E.D. Filippov10, S. Makarov10, S. Pikuz10, B. Albertazzi4
1 ENEA C.R. Frascati, Nuclear Department, Via E. Fermi, 45, 00044 Frascati (RM), Italy
2Present address: V. A. Cassani, 39 00046...
Laser-induced plasmas are versatile physical systems with applications in a wide range of fields, spanning from materials and biomedical sciences to environmental and food safety to extraterrestrial planet exploration, and more. Making the most of this broad set of applications requires a detailed knowledge of the plasma parameters and elementary processes responsible for the generation and...
This paper presents a reconfigurable architecture designed for real-time data processing in tokamak diagnostics. Through the deployment and application on various laser-aided electron density diagnostics, including the HCN interferometer, POINT, solid-state source interferometer, and carbon dioxide dispersion interferometer, the architecture has been validated to meet the real-time data...
Laser-driven particle acceleration relies on the interaction between ultraintense (I>1018 W/cm2) laser pulses and matter. A plasma is formed due to the ionization of the target, and electrons are heated until they escape from the interaction region, giving rise to a strong charge separation. This electric field is thus responsible for protons and heavier ions accelerated forward [1].
This...
The SINBAD-IR beamline at the INFN-Frascati National Laboratories, uses the synchrotron radiation produced by the DAΦNE electron ring, and conventional IR sources, for spectroscopy and imaging experiments targeting materials’ characterization across the infrared spectral range, from THz to NIR [1].
In the Cultural Heritage field, FT-IR spectroscopy is often used to study the spectral response...
In fusion devices, the local soft X-ray (SXR) plasma emissivity is rich in information about electron temperature and density, magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) activity and concentration of impurities that can be inferred with the help of dedicated tomographic inversion and synthetic diagnostic tools [1, 2]. Nevertheless, estimating the local plasma emissivity from a sparse set of noisy...
Laser plasma accelerators (LPAs) represent a cutting-edge technique designed to achieve high accelerating gradients on the GV/m scale [1,2,3]. These advanced systems are gaining traction in particle physics due to their potential to surpass the limitations of traditional accelerator structures. Their appeal lies in the compact design of plasma-based accelerators (PBAs), utilizing small-scale...
It is well-known that in tokamaks, measuring electron temperatures in the plasma core can become problematic when certain values are reached, typically exceeding 6-8 keV [1]. Discrepancies often arise between the values provided by different diagnostics, such as Thomson Scattering and Electron Cyclotron Emission (ECE), which are expected to agree. Accurate and reliable determination of...
In recent years, the development of synchrotron radiation (SR) sources has resulted in the creation of beamlines tailored for studying cultural heritage materials. These beamlines often require specialized setups, specific spatial resolutions, and precise detection limits. In cultural heritage research, integrated approaches that combine multiple techniques are often essential. Some beamlines...
We are surrounded by emergencies; the past and new threats push researchers to find innovative solutions to increase the safety of the population and the security of the environment. In this paper, the authors will use the HotSpot ~ Health Physics Codes for the PC to simulate two different scenarios’ (and several case studies related). The first scenario is constituted by simulations of...
Plasma acceleration is paving the way for new compact accelerators aiming at reducing the scale of the facilities needed by free electron laser (FEL) or high energy physics by employing accelerating gradients much larger than conventional RF structures. The EuPRAXIA Design Study (1) is dedicated to realizing a distributed FEL facility powered by plasma acceleration in the European framework...
The X-ray Calibration Facility (XCF) at the University and INFN of Torino is dedicated to the calibration and characterization of X-ray detectors, sensible to position, energy and polarization.
The facility is focused on the study of the Gas Pixel Detectors [1] for x-rays polarimetry of astrophysical sources, developed at INFN-Pisa. Such detectors are the core of the detector units of the...
The measurement of 14 MeV neutrons present in a deuterium-deuterium plasma is an important parameter for the estimation of the triton burn up component in a tokamak. The deuterium-deuterium reaction has two equally possible branching ratios, one of which leads to the presence of tritons in the plasma. A fraction of these can cause a deuterium-tritium reaction, producing 14 MeV neutrons that...