A high repetition rate plasma focus for neutron interrogation applications*

A fast pulsed neutron source enables identification and ranging of contraband nuclear material using time-of-flight separation of the probe neutron pulse from the fission induced emission quanta. Alameda Applied Sciences Corporation has demonstrated a 1 Hz plasma focus neutron source that uses an impedance matching transformer to better couple the power from the driver to the dynamic pinch load. For a 24 kV primary charge, the system produces a 61 kA peak current with a neutron yield up to 5x10$^{5}$ neutrons/pulse at 1 Hz. Experiments are described in which induced 845keV gamma emission from iron targets (by 2.45MeV DD neutrons) was separated (by time of flight) from the 20-30ns probe neutron pulses. Monte Carlo simulations are used to optimize the concept for a fieldable system.