Spatially resolved diagnostics for optimization of large ion beam sources.

Giant negative ion sources for neutral beam injectors deliver huge negative ion currents, thanks to their multi-beamlet configuration. As the single-beamlet optics defines the transmission losses along the beamline, the extraction of a similar current for all beamlets is extremely desirable, in order to facilitate the beam source operation (i.e.

Visible cameras as a non-invasive diagnostic to study negative ion beam properties.

Beam tomography is a non-invasive diagnostic that allows us to reconstruct the beam emission profile by measuring the light emitted by the beam particles interacting with the background gas, along an elevated number of lines of sight, which is related to the beam density by assuming a uniform background gas. In the framework of the heating and current drive of future nuclear fusion reactors, negative ion beams of hydrogen and deuterium are required for neutral beam injectors (NBIs) due to their elevated neutralization efficiency at high energy (in the MeV range). Beside the beam energy, beam divergence and homogeneity are two critical aspects in the design of future NBIs.

Development and first operation of a cavity ring down spectroscopy diagnostic in the negative ion source SPIDER.

The neutral beam injectors of the ITER experiment will rely on negative ion sources to produce 16.7 MW beams of H/D particles accelerated at 1 MeV. The prototype of these sources was built and is currently operated in the SPIDER (Source for the Production of Ions of Deuterium Extracted from a Radio frequency plasma) experiment, part of the Neutral Beam Test Facility of Consorzio RFX, Padua.

Home physiotherapists assisting follow-up treatment in cystic fibrosis: a multicenter observational study.

Inhaled therapies are relatively simple and easy to be managed however ineffective use of aerosols when self-administered may occur. We described variation of the number of clinic visits, lung function and number of antibiotic courses performed over 12 months in participants with cystic fibrosis (CF), when supervised or not by physiotherapists (PTs) at home. Participants in 8 Italian CF centers with a prescription of dry-powder antibiotic choose whether to be supervised at home (PT-FU) or not (non-PT-FU), in adjunct to routine clinic visits.

First operation in SPIDER and the path to complete MITICA.

The requirements of ITER neutral beam injectors (1 MeV, 40 A negative deuterium ion current for 1 h) have never been simultaneously attained; therefore, a dedicated Neutral Beam Test Facility (NBTF) was set up at Consorzio RFX (Padova, Italy). The NBTF includes two experiments: SPIDER (Source for the Production of Ions of Deuterium Extracted from Rf plasma), the full-scale prototype of the source of ITER injectors, with a 100 keV accelerator, to investigate and optimize the properties of the ion source; and MITICA, the full-scale prototype of the entire injector, devoted to the issues related to the accelerator, including voltage holding at low gas pressure. The present paper gives an account of the status of the procurements, of the timeline, and of the voltage holding tests and experiments for MITICA.