Reduction of radial losses in a pure electron plasma

Abstract

A new pure electron-plasma containment apparatus exhibits radial losses approximately 20 times smaller than the prior apparatus. However, the new containment times show the same (L/B)−2 scaling with plasma column length and magnetic field as obtained previously. The radial transport is apparently induced by small irregularities that break the cylindrical symmetry of the magnetic and electric containment fields. The fact that the two devices show the same (L/B)−2 scaling suggests the dominance of a single generic process, although this process has not yet been identified.