At the 1989 CIRP annual meeting, we reported on the design of a specialized, ultra-precision CNC measuring machine, and on the error budget that was developed to guide the design process. In our paper we proposed a combinatorial rule for merging estimated and/or calculated values for all known sources of error, to yield a single overall predicted accuracy for the machine. In this paper we compare our original predictions with measured performance of the completed instrument.

This paper discusses the techniques, developed over the past year, for high spatial resolution measurement and analysis of the transmitted and/or reflected wavefront of large aperture ICF optical components. Parts up to 400 mm {times} 750 mm have been measured and include: laser slabs, windows, KDP crystals and lenses. The measurements were performed using state-of-the-art commercial phase shifting interferometers at a wavelength of 633 {mu}m. Both 1 and 2-D Fourier analysis have been used to characterize the wavefront; specifically the Power Spectral Density, (PSD), function was calculated. The PSDs of several precision optical components will be shown. The PSD(V) is proportional to the (amplitude){sup 2} of components of the Fourier frequency spectrum. The PSD describes the scattered intensity and direction as a function of scattering angle in the wavefront. The capability of commercial software is limited to 1-D Fourier analysis only. We are developing our own 2-D analysis capability in support of work to revise specifications for NIF optics. 2-D analysis uses the entire wavefront phase map to construct 2D PSD functions. We have been able to increase the signal-to-noise relative to 1-D and can observe very subtle wavefront structure.

In this paper we extend our previous analysis of cold beam tube vacuum in a superconducting proton collider to include ion desorption in addition to thermal desorption and synchrotron radiation induced photodesorption. The new ion desorption terms introduce the possibility of vacuum instability. This is similar to the classical room temperature case but now modified by the inclusion of ion desorption coefficients for cryosorbed (physisorbed) molecules which can greatly exceed the coefficients for tightly bound molecules. The sojourn time concept for physisorbed H{sub 2} is generalized to include photodesorption and ion desorption as well as the usually considered thermal desorption. The ion desorption rate is density dependent and divergent so at the onset of instability the sojourn time goes to zero. Experimental data are used to evaluate the H{sub 2} sojourn time for the conditions of the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) and the situation is found to be stable. The sojourn time is dominated by photodesorption for surface density s(H{sub 2}) less than a monolayer and by thermal deposition for s(H{sub 2}) greater than a monolayer. For a few percent of a monolayer, characteristic of a beam screen, the photodesorption rate exceeds ion desorption rate by more than two orders …

Successful operation of large-scale high-power lasers, such as those in use and planned at LLNL and elsewhere, require optical elements that can withstand extremely high fluences without suffering damage. Of particular concern are dielectric diffraction gratings used for beam sampling and pulse compression. Laser induced damage to bulk dielectric material originates with coupling of the electric field of the radiation to bound electrons, proceeding through a succession of mechanisms that couple the electron kinetic energy to lattice energy and ultimately to macroscopic structural changes (e.g. melting). The constructive interference that is responsible for the diffractive behavior of a grating or the reflective properties of a multilayer dielectric stack can enhance the electric field above values that would occur in unstructured homogeneous material. Much work has been done to model damage to bulk matter. The presence of nonuniform electric fields, resulting from diffractive coherence, has the potential to affect damage thresholds and requires more elaborate theory. We shall discuss aspects of work directed towards understanding the influence of dielectric structures upon damage, with particular emphasis on computations and interpretation of electric fields within dielectric gratings and multilayer dielectric stacks, noting particularly the interference effects that occur in these structures.

Successful operation of large-scale high-power lasers, such as those in use and planned at LLNL and elsewhere, require optical elements that can withstand extremely high fluences without suffering damage. Of particular concern are gratings used for pulse compression. Laser induced damage to bulk dielectric material originates with coupling of the electric field of the radiation to bound electrons, proceeding through a succession of mechanisms that couple the electron kinetic energy to lattice energy and ultimately to macroscopic structural changes (e.g. fracture, melting, ablation, etc.). The constructive interference that is responsible for the diffractive behavior of a grating or the reflective properties of a multilayer dielectric stack can enhance the electric field above values that would occur in unstructured homogeneous material. The presence of nonuniform electric fields, resulting from diffractive coherence, has the potential to affect damage thresholds We describe aspects of LLNL work directed towards understanding the influence of dielectric structures upon damage, with particular emphasis on electric fields within multilayer dielectric stacks.

Although welding is an established technology used in many industrial settings, it is least understand terms of the phases that actually exist, the variation of their spatial disposition with time, and the rate of transformation from one phase to another at various thermal coordinates in the vicinity of the weld. With the availability of high flux and, more recently, high brightness synchrotron x-radiation sources, a number of diffraction and spectroscopic methods have been developed for structural characterization with improved spatial and temporal resolutions to enable in-situ measurements of phases under extreme temperature, pressure and other processing conditions not readily accessible with conventional sources. This paper describes the application of spatially resolved x-ray diffraction (SRXRD) for in-situ investigations of phase transformations in the heat affected zone (HAZ) of fusion welds. Results are presented for gas tungsten (GTA) welds in commercially pure titanium that show the existence of the high temperature bcc {beta}-phase in a 3.3 {plus_minus} 0.3 mm wide HA band adjacent to the liquid weld pool. Phase concentration profiles derived from the SRXRD data further show the co-existence of both the low temperature hcp ({alpha}-phase and the {beta}-phase in the partially, transformed region of the HA. These results represent the …

The U.S. Department of Energy, Nevada Operations Office, Underground Test Area Operable Unit (UGTA) is drilling deep (>1500m) monitoring wells that penetrate both unsaturated (vadose) and saturated zones potentially contaminated by sub-surface nuclear weapons testing at the Nevada Test Site, Nye County, Nevada. Drill site radiological monitoring returns data on drilling effluents to make informed management decisions concerning fluid management. Because of rapid turn-around required for on-site monitoring, a representative sample will be analyzed simultaneously for {alpha}, {beta} and {gamma} emitters by instrumentation deployed on-site. For the purposes of field survey, accurate and precise data is returned, in many cases, with minimal sample treatment. A 30% efficient high purity germanium detector and a discriminating liquid scintillation detector are being evaluated for {gamma} and {alpha}/{beta} monitoring respectively. Implementation of these detector systems complements a successful on-site tritium monitoring program. Residual radioactivity associated with underground nuclear tests include tritium, activation products, fission products and actinides. Pulse shape discrimination (PSD) is used in {alpha}/{beta} liquid scintillation counting and is a function of the time distribution of photon emission. In particular, we hope to measure {sup 241}Am produced from {sup 241}Pu by {beta} decay. Because {sup 241}Pu is depleted in fissile bomb fuels, maximum …

The Inertial Confinement Fusion (ICF) program at LLNL is beginning the design of a 1.8 Megajoule, 0.35-{mu}m, laser system called the National Ignition Facility (NIF). In order to reduce cost, and increase performance, high damage threshold optics are essential. As a result of damage initiating defects, only a small percentage of current as-deposited optical coatings can meet the required damage threshold specification. Work has been conducted in the area of understanding the causes of these nodular defects and how they are related to laser damage. While it is not yet possible to produce defect-free coatings, it has been found that the damage threshold of some coatings can be increased by as much as 2 or more times as a result of pre-illumination at incrementally increasing fluences. This process, termed laser conditioning, has been associated with the ejection of the damage-initiating defects. With current damage thresholds, mirrors and polarizers for the NIF will have to be laser conditioned in order to meet the laser requirements for fluence propagation. LLNL has constructed a system dedicated to laser conditioning of meter-sized HfO{sub 2}/SiO{sub 2} multilayer polarizers and mirrors. The optic is moved in a raster pattern through a stationary 10-Hz rep-rated, 1.064 {mu}m …

The design of the National Ignition Facility (NIF) is based on conversion of 1.05 {mu}m wavelength light (1{omega}) into third harmonic light (3{omega}) by passage through KDP frequency conversion crystals. It is important for proper coupling of radiation into the targets that the final beam impinging upon the target should have little 1{omega} or 2{omega} light. It is also desirable to avoid direct line-of sight for neutrons between the target and the KDP crystals, in order to prevent damage. These issues can be overcome by employing diffraction gratings immediately before the final NIF focusing lens to direct the 3{omega} beam to the target. A single grating design is highly dispersive, and may introduce intolerable divergence into the beam. In order to overcome this limitation, we propose to use a grating pair. This will provide transverse offset of the beam and eliminate the dispersion while offering several other advantages.

Chirped pulse amplification is increasingly used to produce intense ultrashort laser pulses. When high-efficiency gratings are the dispersive element, as in the LLNL Petawatt laser, their susceptibility to laser induced damage constitutes a limitation on the peak intensities that can be reached. To obtain robust gratings, it is necessary to understand the causes of short-pulse damage, and to recognize the range of design options for high efficiency gratings. Metal gratings owe their high efficiency to their high conductivity. To avoid the inevitable light absorption that accompanies conductivity, we have developed designs for high efficiency reflection gratings that use only transparent dielectric materials. These combine the reflectivity of a multilayer dielectric stack with a diffraction grating. We report here our present understanding of short-pulse laser induced damage, as it applies to dielectric gratings.

Performance assessments are required for low-level radioactive waste disposal facilities to demonstrate compliance with the performance objectives, consider human exposures from water, air, and inadvertent intruder pathways. Among these, the groundwater pathway analysis usually involves complex numerical simulations with results which are often difficult to verify and interpret. This paper presents a technique to identify and simplify the essential parts of the groundwater analysis. The transport process of radionuclides including infiltration of precipitation, leachate generation, and advection and dispersion in the groundwater is divided into several steps. For each step, a simple analytical model is constructed and refined to capture the dominant phenomena represented in the complex analysis included in a site-specific performance assessment. This step-wise approach provides a means for gaining insights into the transport process and obtaining reasonable estimates of relevant quantities for facility design and site evaluation.

Radioactive material packages containing fiberboard insulation have been subjected to Hypothetical Accident Condition (HAC) thermal tests for many years. Historically, the packages` thermal performance has always been difficult to grasp. A package designer needs to understand the effects of temperature and pyrolysis on the rate of heat transfer and performance. This paper describes in detail the one-dimensional HAC thermal tests performed on fiberboard to understand the effects of pyrolysis, its char and its gas products. The tests were conducted by the Packaging and Transportation Group at the Savannah River Site (SRS). Test fixtures were assembled at SRS and thermal testing conducted in the Radiant Heat Facility at the Sandia National Laboratories. Descriptions of the test fixtures are provided, as well as the time dependent temperature profiles. In addition, lessons learned are discussed.

The design, installation and performance data of a 20 W pulsed laser system for the 3 meter Shane telescope at the Lick Observatory is presented.

The phase-out of chlorofluorocarbons has necessitated the introduction of alternate refrigerants. R22 (CF{sub 2}ClH), R134a (CF{sub 3}CH{sub 2}F), and R507 (50/50 CHF{sub 2}CF{sub 3}/CF{sub 3}CH{sub 3}) are newer fluids which are used in cooling systems. Recently, concern over the possible formation of toxic compounds during electrical arcing through these fluids has prompted us to identify their electrical breakdown products by electron ionization GC/MS. For example, it is known that perfluoroisobutylene (PFIB), which have an threshold limit value of 10 ppb (set by the American Conference of Government Industrial Hygienists), is produced from the thermal and electrical breakdown of some refrigerants. We have used specially designed test cells, equipped with electrodes, to simulate the electrical breakdown of R22, R134a, and R507 in refrigeration systems.

Earth-impacting comets and asteroids with diameters {approx}0.03 - 10 km pose the greatest threats to the terrestrial biosphere in terms of impact frequency-weighted impact consequences, and thus are of most concern to designers of active planetary defenses. Specific gravitational binding energies of such objects range from 10{sup -7} to 10{sup -2} J/gm, and are small compared with the specific energies of 1x10{sup 3} to 3x10{sup 3} J/gm required to vaporize objects of typical composition or the specific energies required to pulverize them, which are 10{sup -1} to 10 J/gm. All of these are small compared to the specific kinetic energy of these objects in the Earth- centered frame, which is 2x10{sup 5} to 2x10{sup 6} J/gm. The prospect naturally arises of negating all such threats by deflecting, pulverizing or vaporizing the objects. Pulverization-with-dispersal is an attractive option of reasonable defensive robustness. Examples of such equipments - which employ no explosives of any type - are given. Vaporization is the maximally robust defensive option, and may be invoked to negate threat objects not observed until little time is left until Earth-strike, and pulverization-with-dispersal has proven inadequate. Physically larger threats may be vaporized with nuclear explosives. No contemporary technical means of any …

A means for use of existing processing facilities and reactors for plutonium disposition is described which requires a minimum capital investment and allows rapid implementation. The scenario includes interim storage and processing under IAEA control, and fabrication into MOX fuel in existing or planned facilities in Europe for use in operating reactors in the two home countries. Conceptual studies indicate that existing Westinghouse four-loop designs can safety dispose of 0.94 MT of plutonium per calendar year. Thus, it would be possible to consume the expected US excess stockpile of about 50 MT in two to three units of this type, and it is highly likely that a comparable amount of the FSU excess plutonium could be deposed of in a few VVER-1000`s. The only major capital project for this mode of plutonium disposition would be the weapons-grade plutonium processing which could be done in a dedicated international facility or using existing facilities in the US and FSU under IAEA control. This option offers the potential for quick implementation at a very low cost to the governments of the two countries.

Recent ROSAT and EUVE detections of spin-powered neutron stars suggest that many emit ``thermal`` radiation, peaking in the EUV/soft X-ray band. These data constrain the neutron stars` thermal history, but interpretation requires comparison with model atmosphere computations, since emergent spectra depend strongly on the surface composition and magnetic field. As recent opacity computations show substantial change to absorption cross sections at neutron star photospheric conditions, we report here on new model atmosphere computations employing such data. The results are compared with magnetic atmosphere models and applied to PSR J0437-4715, a low field neutron star.

Recirculating induction accelerators have been studied as a potential low cost driver for inertial fusion energy. At LLNL, we are developing a small (4.5-m diameter), scaled, experimental machine which will demonstrate many of the engineering solutions of a full scale driver. The small recirculator will accelerate singly ionized potassium ions from 80 to 320 keV and 2 to 8 mA, using electric dipoles for bending and permanent magnet quadrupoles for focusing in a compact periodic lattice. {ital While very compact, and low cost, this design allows the investigation of most of the critical physics issues associated with space-charge-dominated beams in future IFE power plant drivers.} This report describes the recirculator, its mechanical design, its vacuum design, and the process for aligning it. Additionally, a straight magnetic transport experiment is being carried out to test diagnostics and magnetic transport in preparation for the recirculator.

At the Fernald Environmental Restoration Management Corporation (FERMCO), our product is a clean site. We measure productivity by our progress in taking down buildings and dispositioning hazardous waste. To those ends, Quality and Safety work together to ensure that productivity is gained in the safest way possible. The Plant 7 deconstruction is an example of how this teamwork has increased productivity at the site.

A novel method of fabricating three-dimensional silicon micro electromechanical systems (MEMS) is presented, using selectivity thin film deposited Au-Si eutectic bond pads. Utilizing this process, complicated structures such as microgrippers and microchannels are fabricated. Bond strengths are higher than the silicon fracture strength and the bond areas can be localized and aligned to the processed wafer. The process and the applications are described in this paper.

In this paper the authors present data on the non-thermal plasma processing of two representative VOCs: carbon tetrachloride and methanol. The investigation used a compact electron beam reactor, and two types of discharge reactors: a pulsed corona and a dielectric-barrier discharge. To the knowledge of the authors, this is the first comparison of the energy efficiency of electron beam, pulsed corona and dielectric-barrier discharge processing of these VOCs under identical gas conditions. For most electrical discharge reactors the analysis suggests that the attainable electron mean energy is rather limited and cannot be significantly enhanced by changing the electrode configuration or voltage waveform. The experimental data confirms that there is no significant difference in the performance of the pulsed corona and dielectric-barrier discharge reactors. The authors observe that electron beam processing is remarkably more energy efficiency than electrical discharge processing in decomposing either of these VOC molecules. During electron beam processing, the specific energy consumption is consistent with the energy required for the ionization of the background air molecules. For carbon tetrachloride, the dominant decomposition pathway is dissociative electron attachment. For methanol, the dominant decomposition pathway is dissociative charge exchange.

The development of a three-dimensional spatially evolving compressible mixing layer is investigated numerically using a parallel implementation of Adaptive Mesh Refinement (AMR) on a Cray C-90. The parallel implementation allowed the flow to be highly resolved while significantly reducing the wall-clock runtime. A sustained computation rate of 5.3 Gigaflops including I/O was obtained for a typical production run on a 16 processor machine. A novel mixing layer configuration is investigated where a pressure mismatch is maintained between the two inlet streams. In addition, the sonic character of the two streams is sufficiently different so that the pressure relief wave is trapped in the high speed stream. The trapped wave forces the mixing layer to form a characteristic cellular pattern. The cellular structure introduces curvature into the mixing layer that excites centrifugal instabilities characterized by large-scale counter-rotating vortical pairs embedded within the mixing layer. These are the dominant feature of the flow. Visualizations of these structures in cross-section show the pumping action which lifts dense fluid up into light gas. This effect has a strong impact on mixing enhancement as monitored by a conserved scalar formulation. Once the large-scale structures axe well established in the flow and undergo intensification from favorable …

The PHENIX [Photon Electron New Heavy Ion Experiment] Detector is one of two large detectors presently under construction for RHIC (Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider) located at Brookhaven National Laboratory. Its primary goal is to detect a new phase of matter; the quark-gluon plasma. In order to achieve this objective, the PHENIX Detector utilizes a complex magnet subsystem which is comprised of two large magnets identified as the Central Magnet (CM) and the Muon Magnet (MM). Muon Identifier steel is also included as part of this package. The entire magnet subsystem stands over 10 meters tall and weighs in excess of 1900 tons (see Fig. 1). Magnet size alone provided many technical challenges throughout the design and fabrication of the project. In addition, interaction with foreign collaborators provided the authors with new areas to address and problems to solve. Russian collaborators would fabricate a large fraction of the steel required and Japanese collaborators would supply the first coil. This paper will describe the overall design of the PHENIX magnet subsystem and discuss its present fabrication status.

VIM is a continuous energy Monte Carlo code first developed around 1970 for the analysis of plate-type, fast-neutron, zero-power critical assemblies. In most respects, VIM is functionally equivalent to the MCNP code but it has two features that make uniquely suited to the analysis of fast reactor critical experiments: (1) the plate lattice geometry option, which allows efficient description of and neutron tracking in the assembly geometry, and (2) a statistical treatment of neutron cross section data in the unresolved resonance range. Since its inception, VIM`s capabilities have expanded to include numerous features, such as thermal neutron cross sections, photon cross sections, and combinatorial and other geometry options, that have allowed its use in a wide range of neutral-particle transport problems. The earliest validation work at Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) focused on the validation of VIM itself. This work showed that, in order for VIM to be a ``rigorous`` tool, extreme detail in the pointwise Monte Carlo libraries was needed, and the required detail was added. The emphasis soon shifted to validating models, methods, data and codes against VIM. Most of this work was done in the context of analyzing critical experiments in zero power reactor (ZPR) assemblies. The purpose …