High beta capture and mirror confinement of laser-produced plasmas
Abstract
The program to investigate the use of a dense, mirror confined, laser-produced plasma as the target for an energetic neutral injection beam with the goal of creating and sustaining a high temperature, high density, steady state, mirror confined fusion plasma is discussed. Calculations were carried out which show that the confined laser produced can provide collisional trapping of an injected neutral beam for a time sufficient to allow buildup to a steady state determined by the balance between collisional ionization of the injected neutrals and the plasma scattering losses. Investigations were carried out to improve the reproducibility of high temperature laser plasma production with the larger particles of interest for use as the target in the LITE program. Design features of reduce or eliminate the particle position-focal spot variation identified as the source of the problem were incorporated in the LITE experimental system.
- Publication:
-
Semiannual Report
- Pub Date:
- July 1974
- Bibcode:
- 1974uac..rept.....H
- Keywords:
-
- Laser Outputs;
- Mirrors;
- Plasma Control;
- Particle Collisions;
- Scattering;
- Plasma Physics