Physics Commons^™

A Charged Fusion Product Diagnostic For A Spherical Tokamak, Ramona V. Perez

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Designs for future nuclear fusion power reactors rely on the ability to create a stable plasma (hot ionized gas of hydrogen isotopes) as a medium with which to sustain nuclear fusion reactions. My dissertation work involves designing, constructing, testing, installing, operating, and validating a new diagnostic for spherical tokamaks, a type of reactor test facility. Through detecting charged particles emitted from the plasma, this instrument can be used to study fusion reaction rates within the plasma and how they are affected by plasma perturbations. Quantitatively assessing nuclear fusion reaction rates at specific locations inside the plasma and as a function …