Effect of Positive Polarity in an Inertial Electrostatic Confinement Fusion Device: Electron Confinement, X-Ray Production, and Radiography

The conventional inertial electrostatic confinement fusion (IECF) operation is based on the application of high negative voltage to the central grid, which results in the production of neutrons due to the fusion of lighter ions. The device can also be used as an X-ray source by altering the polarity of the central grid. In this work, electron dynamics during the positive polarity of the central grid are studied using the object-oriented particle-in-cell code XOOPIC. The simulated trapped electron density inside the anode is found to be on the order of 10¹⁶ m when 10 kV is applied to the anode. The recirculatory characteristics of the electrons are also studied from the velocity distribution function. A scintillator-based photomultiplier tube is used to detect the produced X-ray. The X-ray-emitting zones of the device are investigated by pinhole imaging techniques. Last, the radiography of metallic as well as biological samples are reported in the later part of this paper. This study shows the utilization of the IECF device when the polarity of the central grid is reversed.