Abstract
Tandem mirrors control the axial variation of the plasma potential to create electrostatic ‘‘plugs’’ that improve the axial confinement of central cell ions and, in a thermal barrier tandem mirror, control the electron axial heat flow. Measurements of the spatial and temporal variations of the plasma potential are, therefore, important to the understanding of confinement in a tandem mirror. In this paper we discuss potential formation in a thermal barrier tandem mirror and examine the diagnostics and data obtained on the TMX-U device, including measurements of the thermal barrier potential profile using a diagnostic neutral beam and charged-particle energy spectroscopy. We then describe the heavy ion-beam probe and other new plasma potential diagnostics that are under development for TMX-U and MFTF-B.
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