Systems and methods that facilitate forming and maintaining FRCs with superior stability as well as particle, energy and flux confinement and, more particularly, systems and methods that facilitate forming and maintaining FRCs with elevated system energies and improved sustainment utilizing neutral beam injection and high harmonic fast wave electron heating.

The embodiments disclosed herein are directed to systems and devices which utilize multiple microwave plasmas can be used to increase the efficiency of traditional single microwave plasma systems. Disclosed herein is a microwave plasma apparatus for processing materials which includes a reaction chamber, a plurality of microwave plasma applicators in communication with the reaction chamber, one or more microwave radiation sources, at least one waveguide for guiding microwave radiation from the one or more microwave radiations sources to multiple plasma applicators, and a material feeding system in communication with the reaction chamber.

A system for reducing plasma instability is disclosed. The system includes: an outer electrode having a first end and a second end spaced from the first end; and an inner electrode disposed inside of a void defined within the outer electrode and arranged coaxial with the outer electrode. The inner electrode includes: a base end defined by the first end of the outer electrode; and an apical end spaced from the base end. The system includes a fiber injector configured to inject a frozen fiber into the void from the apical end of the inner electrode; an electrode power source configured to energize the outer electrode and the inner electrode, and thereby, cause a plasma contained within the outer electrode to flow axially along the frozen fiber; and a frozen fiber power source configured to drive an electrical pulse to the frozen fiber.

A system for reducing plasma instability is disclosed. The system includes: an outer electrode having a first end and a second end spaced from the first end; and an inner electrode disposed inside of a void defined within the outer electrode and arranged coaxial with the outer electrode. The inner electrode includes: a base end defined by the first end of the outer electrode; and an apical end spaced from the base end. The system includes a fiber injector configured to inject a frozen fiber into the void from the apical end of the inner electrode; an electrode power source configured to energize the outer electrode and the inner electrode, and thereby, cause a plasma contained within the outer electrode to flow axially along the frozen fiber; and a frozen fiber power source configured to drive an electrical pulse to the frozen fiber.

Systems and methods that facilitate forming and maintaining FRCs with superior stability as well as particle, energy and flux confinement and, more particularly, systems and methods that facilitate forming and maintaining FRCs with elevated system energies and improved sustainment utilizing neutral beam injection and high harmonic fast wave electron heating.

Systems and methods that facilitate forming and maintaining FRCs with superior stability as well as particle, energy and flux confinement and, more particularly, systems and methods that facilitate forming and maintaining FRCs with elevated system energies and improved sustainment utilizing neutral beam injection and high harmonic fast wave electron heating.

A system for generating magnetized plasma and sustaining plasma's magnetic field comprises a plasma generator for generating magnetized plasma and a flux conserver in which the generated magnetized plasma is injected and confined. A central conductor comprises an upper central conductor and a lower central conductor that are electrically connected forming a single integrated conductor. The upper central conductor and an outer electrode form an annular plasma propagating channel. The lower central conductor extends out of the plasma generator and into the flux conserver such that an end of the inner electrode is electrically connected to a wall of the flux conserver. A power system provides a formation current pulse and a sustainment current pulse to the central conductor to form the magnetized plasma, inject such plasma into the flux conserver and sustain plasma's magnetic field.

A system for generating magnetized plasma and sustaining plasma's magnetic field comprises a plasma generator for generating magnetized plasma and a flux conserver in which the generated magnetized plasma is injected and confined. A central conductor comprises an upper central conductor and a lower central conductor that are electrically connected forming a single integrated conductor. The upper central conductor and an outer electrode form an annular plasma propagating channel. The lower central conductor extends out of the plasma generator and into the flux conserver such that an end of the inner electrode is electrically connected to a wall of the flux conserver. A power system provides a formation current pulse and a sustainment current pulse to the central conductor to form the magnetized plasma, inject such plasma into the flux conserver and sustain plasma's magnetic field.

An atomic beam generator includes a cathode constituted as a housing having an emission surface provided with an irradiation port through which an atomic beam is emissive; an anode disposed inside the cathode to generate plasma between the cathode and the anode; and a magnetic field generating unit including a first magnetic field generating unit that generates a first magnetic field and a second magnetic field generating unit that generates a second magnetic field, and guiding positive ions produced in the cathode to the emission surface by generating, in the cathode, the first magnetic field and the second magnetic field both parallel to the emission surface such that a magnetic field direction is leftward in the first magnetic field and is rightward in the second magnetic field when viewed from an emission surface side on condition of the first magnetic field being positioned above the second magnetic field.

An atomic beam generator includes a cathode constituted as a housing having an emission surface provided with an irradiation port through which an atomic beam is emissive; an anode disposed inside the cathode to generate plasma between the cathode and the anode; and a magnetic field generating unit including a first magnetic field generating unit that generates a first magnetic field and a second magnetic field generating unit that generates a second magnetic field, and guiding positive ions produced in the cathode to the emission surface by generating, in the cathode, the first magnetic field and the second magnetic field both parallel to the emission surface such that a magnetic field direction is leftward in the first magnetic field and is rightward in the second magnetic field when viewed from an emission surface side on condition of the first magnetic field being positioned above the second magnetic field.