Physics Commons^™

Characterization Of A Digital Holography Diagnostic For In Situ Erosion Measurement Of Plasma-Facing Components In Fusion Devices, Cary Dean Smith

Doctoral Dissertations

Fusion energy devices, particularly tokamaks, face the challenge of interior surface damage occurring over time from the heat flux of the high-energy plasma they generate. The ability to monitor the rate of surface modification is therefore imperative, but to date no proven technique exists for real-time erosion measurement of planar regions of interest on plasma-facing components in fusion devices. In order to fill this diagnostic gap, a digital holography system has been established at ORNL [Oak Ridge National Laboratory] for the purpose of measuring the erosion effects of plasma-material interaction in situ.

The diagnostic has been designed with the …

Numerical Model Of A Radio Frequency Ion Source For Fusion Plasma Using Particle-In-Cell And Finite Difference Time Domain, Augustin L. Griswold

University Honors Theses

Radio frequency (RF) plasma sources are common tool for application and study, and of particular interest for inertial electrostatic (IEC) fusion. Computational analysis is often carried out using particle in cell (PIC) methods or finite difference time domain (FDTD). However, a more holistic analysis is necessary as the particle distribution is highly dependant on the fields created by the plasma source. Herein, an analysis of a particular planar RF electrode with deuterium gas is provided which covers the fields and the particle behaviour using first FDTD then PIC. Further applications are discussed as well as further directions for this study.