Mark3 operation 3e-4 torr / quad ion source @ -40kV, 1mA-9mA

For posts specifically relating to fusor design, construction, and operation.
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Dennis P Brown
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Re: Mark3 operation 3e-4 torr / quad ion source @ -40kV, 1mA-9mA

Post by Dennis P Brown »

Nice apparatus! A side possibility; you can get single crystal silicon wafers super cheap (even select from the company what plane it was cut - 001, 011 etc.). Set it at the correct angle relative to your camera (maybe a micrometer rotation mount) and use it to get specific energies from the electron x-rays. The wafer need not be in the vacuum just line of sight to the x-ray source. Closer, of course, the better.

A side thought: one could "focus' the x-rays by placing the wafer on a circular vacuum ring and apply a moderate vacuum to deform the wafer into a spherical surface. This will weakly focus grazing x-rays off its front surface to "image" the source and provide an energy spectrum.
Andrew Seltzman
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Re: Mark3 operation 3e-4 torr / quad ion source @ -40kV, 1mA-9mA

Post by Andrew Seltzman »

I'm planning to do something similar for energy. I have some CZT detectors which I'll mount on an x-y drive to position over the part of the image that I want to probe the energy at.
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Re: Mark3 operation 3e-4 torr / quad ion source @ -40kV, 1mA-9mA

Post by Andrew Seltzman »

Some upgrades to the x-ray camera now include:
Diffrent molybdenum pinhole sizes 1.5mm, 1.0mm, 0.5mm to sharpen the image
IMG_20190202_184858028a.jpg
A 3D printed sensor holder to allow zooming in by varying the distance from the sensor to the pinhole
IMG_20190202_185341488a.jpg
IMG_20190202_185019702a.jpg
Picture taken with a 1.5mm pinhole for 30s:
1.5mm 30s.png
Picture taken with a 1.0mm pinhole for 30s:
1.0mm 30s.png
Picture taken with a 0.5mm pinhole for 60s:
0.5mm 60s.png
Picture taken with a 0.5mm pinhole for 60s (brightened):
0.5mm 60s bright.png
Reducing the pinhole size noticeably sharpens the image at the expense of intensity.
Andrew Seltzman
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Re: Mark3 operation 3e-4 torr / quad ion source @ -40kV, 1mA-9mA

Post by Andrew Seltzman »

New upgrades on the Mark 3:

New more compact cooling system using 3d-printed components and including more compact coolant pressure and flow measurements
PXL_20230603_215722656.jpg
PXL_20230603_215716009.jpg
New grid assembly with 3d printed insulator box to allow a more compact design:
PXL_20230603_220122280.jpg
PXL_20230603_220052130.jpg
grid_rev5_assembly section.jpg
Andrew Seltzman
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Richard Hull
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Re: Mark3 operation 3e-4 torr / quad ion source @ -40kV, 1mA-9mA

Post by Richard Hull »

Very nice work. We all like to catch up on making out material better or better mounted for control purposes.

Richard Hull
Progress may have been a good thing once, but it just went on too long. - Yogi Berra
Fusion is the energy of the future....and it always will be
The more complex the idea put forward by the poor amateur, the more likely it will never see embodiment
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Dennis P Brown
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Re: Mark3 operation 3e-4 torr / quad ion source @ -40kV, 1mA-9mA

Post by Dennis P Brown »

Beyond good - extremely professional. What is your ultimate objective for measuring the x-ray energies from a fusor?
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