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The HelCat basic plasma science device

Part of: Experiments Fundamental Plasma Physics

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  14 November 2014

M. Gilmore ,
A. G. Lynn ,
T. R. Desjardins ,
Y. Zhang ,
C. Watts ,
S. C. Hsu ,
S. Betts ,
R. Kelly  and
E. Schamiloglu
M. Gilmore*
Affiliation:
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA
A. G. Lynn
Affiliation:
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA
T. R. Desjardins
Affiliation:
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA
Y. Zhang
Affiliation:
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA
C. Watts
Affiliation:
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA ITER Organization, St. Paul-lès-Durance, France
S. C. Hsu
Affiliation:
Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM 87545, USA
S. Betts
Affiliation:
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA
R. Kelly
Affiliation:
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA
E. Schamiloglu
Affiliation:
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA
*
†Email address for correspondence: mgilmore@unm.edu
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Abstract

The Helicon-Cathode(HelCat) device is a medium-size linear experiment suitable for a wide range of basic plasma science experiments in areas such as electrostatic turbulence and transport, magnetic relaxation, and high power microwave (HPM)-plasma interactions. The HelCat device is based on dual plasma sources located at opposite ends of the 4 m long vacuum chamber – an RF helicon source at one end and a thermionic cathode at the other. Thirteen coils provide an axial magnetic field B ⩾ 0.220 T that can be configured individually to give various magnetic configurations (e.g. solenoid, mirror, cusp). Additional plasma sources, such as a compact coaxial plasma gun, are also utilized in some experiments, and can be located either along the chamber for perpendicular (to the background magnetic field) plasma injection, or at one of the ends for parallel injection. Using the multiple plasma sources, a wide range of plasma parameters can be obtained. Here, the HelCat device is described in detail and some examples of results from previous and ongoing experiments are given. Additionally, examples of planned experiments and device modifications are also discussed.

Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Plasma Physics , Volume 81 , Issue 1 , January 2015 , 345810104
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Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2014 

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