Because there is no limit to the energy or power that can be delivered by a neutral-beam injector, its use will be restricted by either its cost, size, or reliability. Studies show that these factors can be improved by the injector design, and several examples, taken from mirror reactor studies, are given.

A discussion is given of a figure of merit indicative of the stability of high intensity beam transport systems. A table is provided giving this quantity under various conditions, and the limits for solenoidal focusing systems are obtained. (PMA)

We use a test particle simulation code to investigate electron cyclotron heating in a magnetic mirror well. A comparison is made between heating with one frequency and heating with two closely spaced frequencies. The code follows electron orbits in the presence of one or two monochromatic ECRH waves using guiding center equations and an equation for the electron gyrophase. Coulomb collisions with electrons and ions are simulated as a Monte Carlo scattering process. We find for the parameters of SM-1 that at the fundamental resonance the heating rate, or velocity rf diffusion coefficient, begins to decrease significantly from the quasilinear value for epsilon/sub e/ greater than or equal to 10 keV due to superadiabatic effects. As suggested by Howard et al., using multiple frequencies pushes the superadiabatic boundary to higher energies. For a given energy, the optimum frequency separations for two frequencies are those which cause the axial bounce resonances to interlace; i.e., odd multiples of the bounce frequency, ..omega../sub b/. This interlacing increases the chance of resonance overlap and thus stochasticity. If the frequency difference is equal to an even multiple of ..omega../sub b/, the diffusion coefficient returns to near its one frequency value. More generally, for more than …

The bronze matrix/niobium filament process has become established as a commercially viable method for producing multifilamentary Nb/sub 3/Sn superconductors. This paper describes a new method, the Modified Jelly-Roll (MJR) approach, which can produce a structure similar to that in a conventionally fabricated multifilamentary Nb/sub 3/Sn conductor. This approach utilizes alternate sheets of niobium expanded metal and bronze, which are rolled into a jelly-roll configuration and then extruded. During extrusion and subsequent drawing, the junctures in the niobium are elongated and the material develops a filamentary structure. This method may offer significant advantages in terms of reduced fabrication time and cost over the conventional approach. Results of a manufacturing development program will be presented in which two lengths of conductor were made to High-Field Test Facility conductor specifications. In addition, critical current and transition temperature measurements of the sub-elements used to construct the HFTF-type lengths will be reported.

An instrument has been developed and tested for nondestructive assay of 235U enrichment of uranium oxide powder contained in sealed 1-gallon cans. A theoretical correlation of enrichment vs. count rate agrees well with the calibration measurements and provides guidelines for applicability. A microcomputer simplifies operator requirements and provides on-line enrichment results.

The Plasma Current Sensor (PCS) diagnostic includes large diamagnetic loops (DL) that fully encircle the plasma as well as small multi-turn pickup coils (PCs) located between the plasma and the superconducting magnets. Both types of sensors respond to changing magnetic flux linkages caused by plasma currents and are used to measure plasma diamagnetism, from which estimates of temperature and density can be made. The DLs are used in the central cell and Axicell regions, while the PCs are used in the Yin-yang regions where DLs are impractical. Other PCs are used in the central cell to detect axial plasma currents, to help tune trim coils in the transition cell and confirm theoretical estimates of radial diffusion limits. This paper describes the PCS diagnostic and presents the detailed mechanical and electrical designs.

Most neutral beamlines contain an iron-core ion-bending magnet that requires shielding between the end of the neutralizer and this magnet. This shielding allows the gas pressure to drop prior to the beam entering the magnet and therefore reduces beam losses in this drift region. We have found that the beam losses can be reduced even further by eliminating the iron-core magnet and the magnetic shielding altogether. The required bending field can be supplied by current coils without the iron poles. In addition, placement of the baffles and apertures can affect the cold gas entering the plasma region and the losses in the neutral beam due to re-ionization. In our study we varied the placement of the baffles, which determine the amount of pumping in each chamber, and the apertures, which determine the beam loss. Our results indicate that a baffle/aperture configuration can be set for either minimum cold gas into the plasma region or minimum beam losses, but not both.

The Tandem Mirror Experiment-Upgrade (TMX-U) at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) uses 24 neutral-beam injectors to heat and fuel the experimental plasmas. This system is unique because TMX-U operates four times more injectors than any other fusion experiment. These injectors deliver an average of 50 A (accel) at 17 keV for 75 ms. Source conditioning time has been reduced to approximately four days for the entire system after extended machine air cycles. TMX-U is also unique because it has 35 usable injector assemblies for the 24 power systems. This quantity of injectors makes possible the development of new hardware and injector modifications, and the reconditioning of damaged sources without affecting machine operation. Efficient operation of a system of this size requires coordinated interaction between the injector service groups and the physics organization. We describe the current state of TMX-U performance and the aspects of group interaction essential to a project of this size.

Performance of the MFTF-B tandem mirror reactor is critically dependent upon precise alignment of the superconducting magnets in the transition region. Given the size and nature of these magnets, mechanical alignment under operating conditions to the tolerances required is an impossible task, as placement must anticipate deflections due to vacuum conditions, cooling to cryogenic temperatures, and magnetic forces. A cost-effective solution to the alignment problem is presented here. In each transition region, a set of eight trimming magnets capable of introducing dipole- and quadrupole-field components allows the field curvatures to be finely tuned to offset the effects of mechanical alignment errors. Trimming current values for correcting representative single- and multiple-coil misalignments, as well as an analytic method for determining them are given. Finally, design considerations that will minimize the need for trim coils in future tandem mirror devices are suggested.

Carbon foams derived from the phase separation of polyacrylonitrile/solvent mixtures were investigated as lithium intercalation anodes for rechargeable lithium-ion batteries. The carbon foams have a bulk density of 0.35--0.5 g/cm{sup 3}, low surface area (< 50 m{sup 2}/g), and an average cell size of 5--10 {mu}m. Polyacrylonitrile-based carbon foams doped with phosphoric acid had capacity as high as 450 mAh/g. Carbon capacity increased with increasing phosphoric acid concentration in the doping solution. The doped porous carbon anodes exhibited good cyclability and excellent coulombic efficiency.

A phenomenological approach is applied to explore signatures of disordered charge stripes and antiphase spin domains in single-particle properties of the high-temperature superconductors. Stripe phases are shown to explain many experimentally observed unusual features measured in angle-resolved photoemission and optical spectroscopy. It is argued that disordered and fluctuating stripe phases are a common feature of high-temperature superconductors, supported by the additional evidence from neutron scattering and NMR.

DOE's Atmospheric Chemistry Program is providing partial funding for the Atmospheric Chemistry Colloquium for Emerging Senior Scientists (ACCESS) and FY 1997 Gordon Research Conference in Atmospheric Chemistry

AlliedSignal Federal Manufacturing & Technologies (FM&T) was asked to perform a proof-of-concept study for the Missouri Highway and Transportation Department (MHTD), Research Division, in June 1997. The goal of this proof-of-concept study was to ascertain if automated scanning and imaging techniques might be applied effectively to the problem of concrete evaluation. In the current evaluation process, a concrete sample core is manually scanned under a microscope. Voids (or air spaces) within the concrete are then detected visually by a human operator by incrementing the sample under the cross-hairs of a microscope and by counting the number of "pixels" which fall within a void. Automation of the scanning and image analysis processes is desired to improve the speed of the scanning process, to improve evaluation consistency, and to reduce operator fatigue. An initial, proof-of-concept image analysis approach was successfully developed and demonstrated using acquired black and white imagery of concrete samples. In this paper, the automated scanning and image capture system currently under development will be described and the image processing approach developed for the proof-of-concept study will be demonstrated. A development update and plans for future enhancements are also presented.

Article discussing research on the response of carbon nanotubes to a tensile load.

Within the next few decades, several hundred thousand tons of metal are expected to be removed from nuclear facilities across the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) complex as a result of decontamination and decommissioning (D&amp;D) activities. These materials, together with large quantities of tools, equipment, and other items that are commonly recovered from site cleanup or D&amp;D activities, constitute non-real properties that warrant consideration for reuse or recycle, as permitted and practiced under the current DOE policy. The provisions for supporting this policy are contained in the Draft Handbook for Controlling Release for Reuse or Recycle of Property Containing Residual Radioactive Material published by DOE in 1997 and distributed to DOE field offices for interim use and implementation. The authorized release of such property is intended to permit its beneficial use across the entire DOE complex. The objective of this study is to develop readily usable computer-based release protocols to facilitate implementation of the Handbook in evaluating the scrap metals for reuse and recycle. The protocols provide DOE with an effective oversight tool for managing release activities.

Feature extraction and evaluation are procedures common to the development of all pattern recognition application. These features are the primary pieces of information used to train the pattern recognition engine, whether that engine is a neural network, a fuzzy logic rulebase, or a genetic algorithm. Careful selection of the features to be used by the pattern recognition engine can significantly streamline the overall development and training of the solution for the pattern recognition application. Presently, AlliedSignal Federal Manufacturing & Technologies (FM&T) is developing an integrated, computer-based software package, called the Feature Extraction Toolbox. This package will be used for developing and deploying solutions to generic pattern recognition problems. The toolbox integrates a variety of software techniques for signal processing, feature extraction and evaluation, and pattern recognition, under a single, user-friendly developmental environment. While a feature extraction toolbox can help in the selection process, it is the user that ultimately must make all decisions. A prototype version of this toolbox has been developed and currently is being used for applications development on several projects in support of the Department of Energy. The toolbox has been developed to run on a laptop computer so that it can be taken to a site …

High density plasma etching of GaAs, GaSb and AIGaAs was performed in IC1/Ar and lBr/Ar chemistries using an Inductively Coupled Plasma (ICP) source. GaSb and AlGaAs showed maxima in their etch rates for both plasma chemistries as a function of interhalogen percentage, while GaAs showed increased etch rates with plasma composition in both chemistries. Etch rates of all materials increased substantially with increasing rf chuck power, but rapidly decreased with chamber pressure. Selectivities > 10 for GaAs and GaSb over AlGaAs were obtained in both chemistries. The etched surfaces of GaAs showed smooth morphology, which were somewhat better with IC1/Ar than with IBr/& discharge. Auger Electron Spectroscopy analysis revealed equi-rate of removal of group III and V components or the corresponding etch products, maintaining the stoichiometry of the etched surface.

A parametric study of Inductively Coupled Plasma etching of InP, InSb, InGaP and InGaAs has been carried out in IC1/Ar and IBr/Ar chemistries. Etch rates in excess of 3.1 prrdmin for InP, 3.6 prnh-nin for InSb, 2.3 pm/min for InGaP and 2.2 ~rrdmin for InGaAs were obtained in IBr/Ar plasmas. The ICP etching of In-based materials showed a general tendency: the etch rates increased substantially with increasing the ICP source power and rf chuck power in both chemistries, while they decreased with increasing chamber pressure. The IBr/Ar chemistry typically showed higher etch rates than IC1/Ar, but the etched surface mophologies were fairly poor for both chemistries.

The rapid pace of change at Ike end of the 20th Century should continue unabated well into the 21st Century. The driver will be the marketplace imperative of "faster, better, cheaper." This imperative has already stimulated a revolution-in-engineering in design and manufacturing. In contrast, to date, reliability engineering has not undergone a similar level of change. It is critical that we implement a corresponding revolution-in-reliability-engineering as we enter the new millennium. If we are still using 20th Century reliability approaches in the 21st Century, then reliability issues will be the limiting factor in faster, better, and cheaper. At the heart of this reliability revolution will be a science-based approach to reliability engineering. Science-based reliability will enable building-in reliability, application-specific products, virtual qualification, and predictive maintenance. The purpose of this paper is to stimulate a dialogue on the future of reliability engineering. We will try to gaze into the crystal ball and predict some key issues that will drive reliability programs in the new millennium. In the 21st Century, we will demand more of our reliability programs. We will need the ability to make accurate reliability predictions that will enable optimizing cost, performance and time-to-market to meet the needs of every …

A discrete element computer program named DMC_BLAST (Distinct Motion Code) has been under development since 1987 for modeling rock blasting (Preece & Taylor, 1989). This program employs explicit time integration and uses spherical or cylindrical elements that are represented as circles in two dimensions. DMC_BLAST calculations compare favorably with data from actual bench blasts (Preece et al, 1993). Coal seam chilling refers to the shattering of a significant portion of the coal leaving unusable fines. It is also refereed to as coal damage. Chilling is caused during a blast by a combination of explosive shock energy and movement of the adjacent rock. Chilling can be minimized by leaving a buffer zone between the bottom of the blastholes and the coal seam or by changing the blast design to decrease the powder factor or by a combination of both. Blast design in coal mine cast blasting is usually a compromise between coal damage and rock fragmentation and movement (heave). In this paper the damage to coal seams from rock movement is examined using the discrete element computer code DMC_BLAST. A rock material strength option has been incorporated into DMC_BLAST by placing bonds/links between the spherical particles used to model the rock. …

This paper addresses the statistical uncertainty of loads prediction using structural dynamics simulation codes and the requirements for the number and duration of simulations for obtaining robust load estimates.

Reactive ion beam etching (RD3E) of GaAs, GaP, AIGaAs and GaSb was performed in a Cl2-Ar mixture using an Inductively Coupled Plasma (ICP) source. `The etch rates and yields were strongly affected by ion energy and substrate temperature. The RJBE was dominated by ion-assisted etching at <600 eV and by physical sputtering beyond 600 eV. The temperature dependence of the etch rates revealed three different regimes, depending on the substrate temperature: 1) sputtering-etch limited, 2) products-resorption limited, and 3) mass-transfer limited regions. GaSb showed the overall highest etch rates, while GaAs and AIGaAs were etched at the same rates. The etched features showed extremely smooth morphologies with anisotropic sidewalls.

The intermetallic compound Li{sub 3}Bi played an integral part in the demonstration of an ion replacement electrorefining method developed at Argonne National Laboratory. The Li{sub 3}Bi compound was generated in a tilt-pour casting furnace using high-purity lithium and bismuth metals as the initial charge. At first, small-scale ({approximately}20 g) experiments were conducted to determine the materials synthesis parameters. In the end, four larger-scale castings (500 g to 1250 g) were completed in a tantalum crucible. The metals were heated slowly to melt the charge, and the formation reaction proceeded vigorously above the melting point of bismuth ({approximately}270 C). For the large-scale melts, the furnace power was temporarily turned off at this point. After several minutes, the tantalum crucible stopped glowing, and the furnace power was turned on. The temperature was then increased to {approximately}1200 C to melt and homogenize the compound, and liquid Li{sub 3}Bi was cast into cold stainless steel molds. Approximately 3.7 kg of Li{sub 3}Bi was generated by this method.

Zirconia is an important transition-metal oxide for catalytic applications. It has been widely used in automotive exhaust treatment, methanol synthesis, isomerization, alkylation, etc. [1]. Nanophase materials have unique physiochemical properties such as quantum size effects, high surface area, uniform morphology, narrow size distribution, and improvement of sintering rates[2]. Microemulsion method provides the means for controlling the microenvironment under which specific chemical reactions may occur in favoring the formation of homogeneous, nanometer-size particles. In this paper, we report the synthesis of nanophase zirconia and the characterization of the microemulsions as well as the powders by small- and wide-angle neutron scattering techniques.