Hydrogen plasma dynamics in the spherical theta pinch plasma target for heavy ion stripping

Abstract

Due to the superior ability of dense and highly ionised plasmas to ionise penetrating heavy ion beams to degrees beyond those reachable by common gas strippers, many experiments have been performed to find suitable plasma generators for this application. In the field of gas discharges, mainly z-pinch devices have been investigated so far, which are known to be limited by the nonlinear focusing effects of the plasma columns sustaining current and by electrode erosion. The spherical theta pinch has therefore been proposed as a substitution for the z-pinch, promising progress by inductive rather than capacitive coupling and displacement of the outer magnetic field by the dense, diamagnetic discharge plasma. As yet mainly experiments with argon/hydrogen mixture gas have been performed, which is not suitable for the application as a plasma stripper, this paper describes the first detailed analysis of the plasma parameters and dynamics of a hydrogen plasma created by the spherical theta pinch. These include the time integrated and time resolved electron density, the dynamics of the plasma in the discharge vessel, the comparison with the argon dominated plasma, and an outlook to reachable characteristics with similar devices.