Study of the magnetic modifications of Fe3O4 ferrite thin films induced by 2.03 GeV Kr ions irradiation

The effect of 2.03 GeV Kr²⁶⁺ ions irradiation on antiphase boundaries (APBs) of polycrystalline Fe₃O₄ ferrite thin films has been investigated. The structure, magnetic and electrical transport properties of samples were characterized. The initial crystallographic structure of the Fe₃O₄ remains unaffected after Kr-ion irradiation, but the magnetic and electrical transports properties are sensitive to swift heavy ions (SHI) irradiation and exhibit different behaviors depending on the Kr-ion fluence range. The energy deposition is mainly due to the electronic energy loss (S_e) and the large value of energy transferred induces an unusual density of defects, stress and heat annealing effect in the samples, which can affect on the arrangement of magnetic moments and APBs density strongly. On the basis of our observations we conclude that the production, accumulation and free of the defects and stress induced by SHI irradiation is more dominant in the case of the magnetic and electrical transport properties modifications of the Fe₃O₄ thin films.     

Experimental Measurement of Asymmetric Fluctuations of Poloidal Magnetic Field in Damavand Tokomak at Different Plasma Currents

Toroidal and Poloidal magnetic fields have an important effect on the tokomak topology. Damavand Tokomak is a small size tokomak characterized with k?=?1.2, B _t?=?1T, R ₀?=?36?cm, maximum plasma current is about 35?KA with a discharge time of 21?ms. In this experimental work, the variation of poloidal magnetic field on the torodial cross section is measured and analyzed. In order to measure the polodial magnetic field, 18 probes were installed on the edge of tokomak plasma with ?θ?=?18°, while a limiter was installed inside the torus. Plasma current, I _p, induces a polodial magnetic field, B _p, smaller than the torodial magnetic field B _t. Magnetic lines B produced as a combination of B _t and B _p, are localized on the nested toroidal magnetic surfaces. The presence of polodial magnetic field is necessary for particles confinement. Mirnov oscillations are the fluctuations of polodial magnetic field, detected by magnetic probes. Disrupted instability in Tokomak typically starts with mirnov oscillations which appear as fluctuations of polodial magnetic field and is detected by magnetic probes. Minor disruptions inside the plasma can contain principal magnetic islands and their satellites can cause the annihilation of plasma confinement. Production of thin layer of turbulent magnetic field lines cause minor disruption. Magnetic limiter may cause the deformation of symmetric equilibrium configuration and chaotic magnetic islands reveal in plasma occurring in thin region of chaotic field lines close to their separatrix. The width of this chaotic layer in the right side of poloidal profile of Damavand Tokomak is smaller than the width in the left side profile because of Shafranov displacement. Ergodic region in the left side of profile develops a perturbation on the magnetic polodial field lines, B _p, that are greater in magnitude than that in the right side, although the values of B _p on the left side are smaller than that on the right side of the profile. The Left side of profile is close to the principal magnetic axis and the right side is away from Z axis of Tokamak.     

Effect of a transverse magnetic field on a toroidal discharge in a strong longitudinal magnetic field

The effect of a transverse magnetic field on a toroidal discharge in a strong longitudinal magnetic field was studied. It was found that, for a definite value of the pinch displacement caused by the 1/c [I,B], force, the oscillations on the oscillograms of the electrical characteristics of the discharge had minimum amplitude, while the mean plasma conductivity reached a maximum. It was shown that the effect of the transverse component of the magnetic field could, in general, be explained from the concept of the equilibrium of the plasma pinch inside the conducting sheath.Translated from Atomnaya Énergiya, Vol. 17, No. 3, pp. 177–184, September, 1964.     

The Effect of Magnetic Field of Multicusp and Wall Material on Electron Trajectories

In this paper, the effect of electron confinement with magnetic fields in the multicusp ion source has been investigated. That is, electron confinement with magnetic fields plays a very important role for the generation of negative ions at plasma. Three-dimensional spatial distributions of electrons production are obtained for a multicusp ion source. The electron confinement of magnetic fields from various surface materials (such as Al₂O₃, Al, Au, Cu, w and stainless-steel) have been compared in a multicusp plasma source. The electron confinement effect becomes stronger with increasing N (the number of rows of permanent magnets) and using Al for plasma chamber wall material. The results of investigations have demonstrated good correspondence with experimental data, and therefore the adequacy of the developed approach and the possibility to build more effective source on this basis.     

Investigation on a corrosion product deposit layer on a boiling water reactor fuel cladding

Recent investigations on the complex corrosion product deposits on a boiling water reactor (BWR) fuel cladding have shown that the observed layer locally presents unexpected magnetic properties. The magnetic behaviour of this layer and its axial variation on BWR fuel cladding is of interest with respect to non-destructive cladding characterization. Consequently, a cladding from a BWR was cut at elevations of 810 mm, where the layer was observed to be magnetic, and of 1810 mm where it was less magnetic. The samples were subsequently analyzed using electron probe microanalysis (EPMA), magnetic analysis and X-ray techniques (μXRF, μXRD and μXAFS).Both EPMA and μXRF have shown that the observed corrosion deposit layer which is situated on the Zircaloy corrosion layer consists mostly of 3-d elements’ oxides (Fe, Zn, Ni and Mn). The distribution of these elements within the investigated layer is rather complex and not homogeneous. The main phases identified by 2D μXRD mapping inside the layer are hematite and spinel phases with the common formula M_xFe_y(M_(1?x)Fe_(2?y))O₄, where M = Zn, Ni, Mn. It has been shown that the solid solutions of these phases were obtained with rather large differences between the parameter cell of the known spinels (ZnFe₂O₄, NiFe₂O₄ and MnFe₂O₄) and the investigated material. The comparison of EPMA with μXRD analysis shows that the ratio of Fe₂O₃/MFe₂O₄ (M = Zn, Ni, Mn) phases in the lower sample equals ～1/2 and in the higher one ～1/1 within the analyzed volume of the samples. It has been shown that this ratio, together with the thickness of the corrosion product deposit layer, effect its magnetic properties.     

Interaction of positronium atoms, with paramagnetic molecules, measured by perturbed angular distribution in 3γ annihilation decay

Positronium in the triplet spin state (S = 1) decays by 3γ annihilation having a life time of about 140 ns in vacuum. Positronium annihilation is affected by magnetic fields which mix the M = 0 state of ortho-positronium with the M = 0 state of para-positronium. The mixing fraction depends on the magnetic field intensity and causes quantum beats in the time distribution of γ annihilation decay. This effect was predicted by Barishevsky et al. [V.G. Barishevsky, O.N. Metelitsa, V.V. Tikhomirov, J. Phys. B Atom. Mol. Opt. Phys. 22 (1989) 2835]. The time differential perturbed angular correlation method (TDPAC), combined with long-lived positron life time spectroscopy (PLTS), has been used to observe these quantum beats. It is found that the characteristics of the annihilation time distribution are not influenced by the presence of diamagnetic species such as Ar, N₂ and H₂ but are affected by the presence of the paramagnetic O₂ molecule. Our results are encouraging in developing a new method for investigating magnetic fields on an atomic scale.     

Effects of Nd:YAG laser irradiation on structural and magnetic properties of Li0.5Fe2.5O4

In the present paper we report our results on the effect of Nd:YAG laser irradiation on the structural and magnetic properties of Li_0.5Fe_2.5O₄ spinel ferrite prepared by solid-state reaction technique. X-ray diffraction analysis was carried out to confirm the formation of the single phase cubic spinel structure. The lattice constant calculated from X-ray diffraction data (XRD) goes on increasing with non irradiated phase to exceeding higher doses of irradiation. The distribution of the substituted ions over the different lattice sites is determined from XRD and infrared spectra. The damage structure and morphological investigations were carried out by using scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy techniques. It has been observed from our data on magnetic properties that laser irradiation severely affects the magnetization. From the magnetization measurements it has been observed that the saturation magnetization decreases with increase in the laser dose rate. The observed reduction in the saturation magnetization after irradiation is understood on the basis of the partial formation of paramagnetic centers and rearrangement of cations in the lattice.     

Analytical Study of Quantum Magnetic and Ion Viscous Effects on p11B Fusion in Plasma Focus Devices

In this article we studied the feasibility of proton-boron (p¹¹B) fusion in plasmoids produced by plasma pinch devices like plasma focus facility as commercially sources of energy. In plasmoids fusion power for 76 keV < T_i < 1,500 keV exceeds bremsstrahlung loss (W/P_b = 5.39). In such situation gain factor and the ratio of Te to Ti for a typical 150 kJ plasma focus will be 7.8 and 4.8 respectively. Also with considering the ion viscous heating effect W/P_b and T_i/T_e will be 2.7 and 6 respectively. Strong magnetic field will reduces ion–electron collision rate due to quantization of electron orbits. While approximately there is no change in electron–ion collision rate, The effect of quantum magnetic field makes ions much hotter than electrons which enhances the fraction of fusion power to bremsstrahlung loss.     

Quantitative determination of magnetic fields on object surfaces via photoemission electron microscopy without restriction of the electron beam

The stray magnetic field of domains on the surface of Nd₁₇Fe₁₇Cu₅B₅ and SmFe₁₀Ti₈₉ samples was visualized by emission electron microscopy in the regime without restriction of the electron rays by a contrast aperture. The distribution of the tangential and normal components of the magnetic field on the surface under study was derived from the image contrast. The experimental uncertainty of the performed quantitative measurements of the magnetic field is estimated as 15-20%, however, the applied technique has a principal error that is several times smaller.     

Direct numerical simulation of turbulent liquid metal flow entering a magnetic field

This paper presents direct numerical simulations (DNS) of fully developed turbulent liquid-metal flow in a circular duct entering a magnetic field. The case of a magnetohydrodynamic flow leaving a strong magnetic field has been extensively studied experimentally and numerically owing to its similarity to typical flow configurations appearing in liquid metal blankets of nuclear fusion reactors. Although also relevant to the design of fusion reactor blankets, the flow entering the fringing field of a magnet remains unexplored because its high intricacy precludes any simplification of the governing equations. Indeed, the complexity of the magnetohydrodynamic–turbulence interaction can only be analysed by direct numerical simulations or experiments. With that purpose, this paper addresses the case of a fully developed turbulent flow (Re_τ ≈ 520) entering low, intermediate and strong magnetic fields under electrically insulating and poorly conducting walls by means of three-dimensional direct numerical simulations. Purely hydrodynamic computations (without the effect of the magnetic field) reveal an excellent agreement against previous experimental and numerical results. Current MHD results provide a very detailed information of the turbulence decay and reveal new three-dimensional features related to liquid-metal flow entering strong increasing magnetic fields, such as flow instabilities due to the effect of the Lorentz forces within the fringing region at high Ha numbers.     

Equilibrium and stability of plasma in axially symmetric toroidal systems

Conclusions In the case when the magnetic surfaces have circular normal cross sections in the neighborhood of a magnetic axis (=1), the stability criterion reduces to a limitation on the ratio of the current density to the magnetic field on the magnetic axis j₀R/B₀<2. On the assumption of a uniform axial current, this criterion is equivalent to the Shafranov-Kruskal stability condition RB (a)/aB(a)<1/m for the first mode of oscillation m=1. If the current density falls off on going away from the magnetic axis, the stability criterion when written in the form of the Shafranov-Kruskal condition will correspond to m>1. For example, in the case of the parabolic current density distribution j=j₀ (1–₂/a ²), it turns out that m=2.To investigate the effect of the ellipticity of the magnetic surface cross sections, a study was made of the two cases when the external magnetic surface had an elliptical or semielliptical cross section. As can be seen from Figs. 2 and 4, the limiting value of j₀R/B₀ decreases rapidly when the semi-axis ratio is decreased below unity and decreases more smoothly when is increased above unity: (=l _z/l _r).In the case when toroidal aspects of the problem are very strongly expressed, when the external boundary of the plasma has a semi-elliptical cross section with a semi-axis ratio =1/2 (which corresponds to =1), the limiting ratio of the axial current in the plasma to the current in the windings of the solenoid producing the axial magnetic field amounts to J/I1/3, which corresponds to a ratio of plasma pressure to magnetic pressure 1/2.To investigate the effect of the toroidal geometry on the stability, we also investigated the case of a plasma torus in which the external magnetic surface was of rectangular cross section. As can be seen from Fig. 6, in the case when the axial magnetic field decreases on moving away from the magnetic axis (b/a>0) the limiting value of the ratio N=j₀R/B₀ is reduced somewhat with increasing toroidality, this reduction in N being associated with a corresponding increase in .In summary, as far as the conditions of hydromagnetic stability for a prescribed magnetic field are concerned, an increase in toroidality should lead to an increase in the limiting plasma current and pressure.Translated from Atomnaya Énergiya, Vol. 24, No. 5, pp. 453–459, May, 1968.     

Magnetic properties of Pu-Ga alloys

The magnetization and magnetic susceptibility of polycrystalline Pu₃Ga compound and Pu_0.92Ga_0.08 alloy have been measured as functions of temperature (between 2 and 300 K) and external magnetic dc field (from 1.0 to 5.0 T) and ac field. The detailed analysis indicates the antiferromagnetic ordering in both compounds. The dynamic magnetic susceptibility shows sharp peaks at 40.3 K in Pu₃Ga and at 30.0 K in Pu_0.92Ga_0.08 that correspond to Néel temperatures. The high-temperature behavior of static susceptibility gives evidence that it has both Curie-Weiss and enhanced Pauli contributions and the positive magnitudes of paramagnetic Curie temperature is indicative of the presence of competing the nearest-neighbor and next-nearest-neighbor exchange interactions in both compounds.     

Enhancement of ferromagnetism in Ni-implanted HfO2 dielectric thin films

We report thermal annealing and 100 MeV Si⁸⁺ swift heavy ion irradiation effects on the structural and magnetic properties of Ni-implanted HfO₂ thin films. At low Ni doping concentration (∼1%), HfO₂ thin films show ferromagnetic behavior. We clearly demonstrate the cluster free nature of our film using cross-sectional high resolution transmission microscopy and magnetization vs. temperature data. Rutherford backscattering spectrometry is used to estimate the film thickness and to establish that Ni-ions are placed in the HfO₂ matrix. By comparing the results for the annealed and swift heavy ion irradiated samples, it is concluded that the enhancement in magnetic signal is closely related to the dispersion/diffusion of implanted Ni and defect creation such as oxygen vacancies. The results of magnetic force microscopy supported the observation of room temperature ferromagnetism in Ni-implanted HfO₂ films.     

Nuclear resonant reflectivity with standing waves for the investigation of a thin Fe layer buried inside a superconducting Si/[Mo/Si]45/Fe/Nb multilayer

A special multilayer sample Si/[Mo/Si]₄₅/⁵⁷Fe/Nb has been prepared for the depth selective investigations of the hyperfine fields in thin iron layer at low temperatures above and below the superconducting transition in the top Nb layer (T_c ∼ 8 K) by means of the nuclear resonant reflectivity with standing waves. The periodic multilayer [Mo/Si]₄₅ below the iron layer in our sample was used as “a standing wave generator”. A weak magnetic hyperfine splitting in the ⁵⁷Fe layer was detected just at low temperature. A slight variation of the nuclear resonant reflectivity time spectra measured above and below T_c was observed. At first it was supposed that this change of the spectrum shape is caused by the spatial modulation of ferromagnetic domains in the ⁵⁷Fe layer caused by a proximity effect. A closer analysis, however, reveals that the spectrum variations are due to just the changes of the relative weights of the magnetic and paramagnetic phases in ⁵⁷Fe layer.     

Effect of swift heavy ion irradiation in W/Co multilayer structures

Present study reports effect of swift heavy ion irradiation on structural and magnetic properties of sputtered W/Co multilayer structures (MLS) having bilayer compositions of [W(10 Å)/Co(20 Å)]_5BL and [W(20 Å)/Co(20 Å)]_5BL. These MLS are irradiated by 120 MeV Au⁹⁺ ions up to fluence of 1 × 10¹³ ions/cm². X-ray reflectivity (XRR), wide-angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD), cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy (X-TEM) and magneto optical Kerr effect (MOKE) techniques are used for structural and magnetic characterization of pristine and irradiated MLS. Analysis of XRR data using Parratt’s formalism shows a significant increase in W/Co interface roughness. WAXD and X-TEM studies reveals that intra-layer microstructure of Co-layers in MLS becomes nano-crystalline on irradiation. MOKE study shows slight increase in coercivity at higher fluence, which may be due to increase in surface and interface roughness after recrystallization of Co-layers.     

Researches on Laser Isotope Separation of Gadolinium and Boron

Laser isotope separation experiments of Gd and B by atomic and molecular methods, respectively, have been performed. Gadolinium-157 was selectively photoionized by means of three linearly polarized dye lasers, the excitation process of which is based on the polarization selection rules. The effect of magnetic field on isotopic selectivity was discussed. ¹⁰BCl₃ was selectively photodissociated through IR multiphoton dissociation by the irradiation of TEA CO₂ laser or free electron laser (FEL). Selectivity was improved by two-color laser irradiation.     

Removal of radionuclide Sr2+ ions from aqueous solution using synthesized magnetic chitosan beads

Strontium-90 is one of the main fission products, existing in the radioactive wastes produced in nuclear power plant. In this paper, a novel magnetic chitosan beads were synthesized, characterized and applied for removal of Sr²⁺ ions from aqueous solution. The SEM analysis indicated that the magnetic beads were in regular spherical geometry with about 1 mm diameter. The XRD and EDS analysis revealed that the chitosan beads were magnetic and can be used for the magnetic separation. The influencing factors of Sr²⁺ sorption onto magnetic chitosan beads were studied, including contact time, initial pH value, initial Sr²⁺concentration and sorbent dosage. The maximum adsorption capacity (q_m) of Sr²⁺ was calculated to be 11.58 mg/g using the Langmuir isotherm. The kinetic data were analyzed by intra particle diffusion model. The FT-IR study revealed that –NH₂ was mainly involved in Sr²⁺ sorption by magnetic chitosan beads.     

The effect of vacancy created by ion irradiation on the ordering of FePt: A first-principle study

Ion irradiation has been used to promote ordering processes and to modify the magnetic properties of magnetic thin films. The major reason for ion irradiation reducing the ordering temperature is the introduction of a number of vacancies. The vacancy and its influence on the ordering temperature and magnetic properties in L1₀ ordered FePt are investigated by first-principle simulation. The vacancy formation energy for Fe and Pt in FePt alloy are 1.45 and 2.25 eV respectively. The calculated order-disorder transition temperature of Fe₅₀Pt₅₀ is 1680 K. The order-disorder transition temperatures for Fe vacancy and Pt vacancy models are about 50 K and 200 K lower than that of the stoichiometric Fe₅₀Pt₅₀ alloy respectively. The results suggested that the vacancy in FePt alloy favors the ordering process. The saturation magnetization of stoichiometric L1₀ FePt is 1070 emu/cc and these of Fe and Pt vacancy are 1027 and 1075 emu/cc, respectively.     

A study on swift (∼100 MeV) heavy ion irradiated Ni films on Si substrates

Ni thin films (∼50 nm) on silicon substrates have been irradiated from 100 MeV swift heavy ions of Fe⁷⁺ with a fluence of 10¹² ions cm⁻². SEM studies show a nice feature of interwoven grains which looks like a knitted network which has been resolved as a spherical grainy structure from AFM studies. Chemical phase identification of the grains has been done from XRD studies and it is found that there is a formation of the Ni₂Si silicide phase having average grain size of ∼70 nm. The devices have also been characterized from I-V characteristics before and after the irradiation at varying temperature from LN₂ to room temperature. The current across the irradiated interface has increased by two orders of magnitude as compared to the unirradiated ones and show a nearly temperature independent behaviour. MR (magnetoresistance) has been studied from the current flow data in magnetic fields up to 10 kG. Unirradiated devices do not show any effect on current transport in external magnetic field. M-H characteristics of the irradiated devices show the typical magnetic behaviour of nano particles like superparamagnetic behaviour. The MR features has been related to the M-H variations. The observed results show the formation of magnetic nano grains due to interfacial intermixing in these devices of Ni/n-Si. The role of swift heavy ions for nano grain fabrication has been discussed and the observed properties have been understood by considering the formation of a nano magnetic granular phase.     

Plasma and antenna coupling characterization in ICRF-wall conditioning experiments

Ion Cyclotron Wall Conditioning (ICWC) discharges, in pulsed-mode operation, were carried out in the divertor tokamaks ASDEX Upgrade (AUG) and JET to simulate the scenario of ITER wall conditioning at half-field (AUG) and full-field (JET). ICWC-plasma and antenna coupling characterization results obtained during the Ion Cyclotron Resonance Frequency (ICRF)-Wall Conditioning experiments performed in helium-hydrogen mixture in AUG and helium-deuterium mixtures in JET are presented here. Safe operational regimes for optimum ICWC in ITER could be explored for different magnetic fields. Satisfactory antenna coupling in the Mode Conversion scenario along with reproducible generation of ICRF plasmas and reliable wall conditioning were achieved by coupling RF power from one or two ICRF antennas at two (AUG, JET) different resonant frequencies. These results are in qualitative agreement with the predictions of 1-D TOMCAT code. Present study of ICWC indicates towards the beneficial effect of application of an additional (along with toroidal magnetic field) stationary vertical (B_V ? B_T) magnetic field on antenna coupling and plasma parameters. The results obtained from JET and AUG tokamaks, presented in this paper, emphasizes the proposed phenomenological schemes for further development of ICWC in superconducting tokamaks.