Probing suprathermal electrons in C-2W with x-ray energy spectra

November 2025 | Y. Zhou | Physics of Plasmas | Paper

A silicon drift-detector-based pulse-height x-ray energy spectrometer has been recently deployed on C-2W to investigate the distribution of suprathermal electrons. Measurements from this spectrometer reveal x-ray photons with energies of several kiloelectronvolts …

Advanced neutral beam injection in a field-reserved configuration plasma

September 2025 | J.B. Titus | Nuclear Fusion | Paper

Neutral beam injection has been shown to create field-reversed configuration plasmas on C-2W. Recent advances in optimization and control of eight neutral beam injectors help deliver customized current drive for a plethora of plasma regimes.

Wave coupling and propagation from a fast-wave antenna in the lower hybrid range of frequencies

July 2025 | J. Larson | Journal of Plasma Physics | Paper

A set of experiments were conducted on the Large Plasma Device (LAPD) at UCLA to test the operational principles of a traveling wave antenna of the comb-line type. This antenna was designed to launch helicon waves (fast waves in the lower hybrid range of frequencies) on DIII-D.

Directional, joule per steradian THz pulses from multi-joule laser irradiation of wires

July 2025 | G. Bruhaug | Physics of Plasmas | Paper

We report on THz pulses with energy flux exceeding 2.5 J/sr and high directionality, generated from picosecond, joule laser irradiation of
microwires. The impact of wire diameter, length, and laser irradiation orientation is explored …

Generation of field-reversed configurations via neutral beam injection

April 2025 | T. Roche | Nature Communications | Paper

We report evidence of successful generation of field-reversed configuration plasmas by neutral beam injection. This is achieved by trapping the steady state beams in an initial seed plasma, hence providing a direct source of toroidally directed energetic ion current and increase plasma …