Analysis of Proton Transport Experiments.

As a part of the NRL light ion beam research program, experiments on the transport of intense pulsed proton beams have been carried out. The NRL GAMBLE II pulser was used to generate proton beams and the measurement of prompt-gamma rays was the primary diagnostic for proton transport. The first sequence of shots was made using a large-diameter 4.5 cm transport channel with a 2.5-cm diameter aperture. The transport of 1-MeV proton beams of a few hundred kiloamperes a distance of one meter with efficiencies approaching 100 was achieved in this channel. A second sequence of shots with a smaller-diameter 1.6 cm channel with a 1.2-cm diameter aperture was much less efficient in transporting the beam. Analysis of the prompt-gamma measurements to determine proton currents in the transport channel and transport efficients is presented in this report.