Fast-Ion Axial Bounce Resonance in a Linear Magnetic Fusion Device

May 2026 | S. Karbashewski | Physical Review Letters | Paper

We report observations of an energetic-particle mode (EPM) in a linear plasma device that corresponds to an axial bounce resonance of fast ions sourced from neutral-beam injection (NBI). In our experiment, novel dynamic shaping of a magnetic mirror field reduces the distance …

Implementation of a Lyman-α Diagnostic for Edge Neutral Characterization in C-2W

November 2025 | J. Wood | 2025 US-Japan FRC Workshop | Presentation

Characterizing neutral particles is essential for understanding fueling, confinement, and fast-ion behavior in C-2W’s magnetically confined FRCs.
A dedicated Lyman-⍺ diagnostic has been installed on C-2W

Increased p-11B fusion reaction rate through fast-ion acceleration by ICRF heating in LHD

November 2025 | S. Kamio | 2025 US-Japan FRC Workshop | Presentation

ICRF heating in LHD clearly accelerates fast ions and enhances p-¹¹B fusion yield. In the FRC device C-2W, fast-ion acceleration is also observed together with beam-driven modes. The n = 2 mode can accelerate NB-injected ions to nearly twice their initial energy…

Electron Heating in the Fueling Region of C-2W

November 2025 | Y. Zhou | APS DPP 2025 | Poster

Fast ions confined by the FRC likely cause electrons in the FR to heat up and emit X-rays. We plan to identify the exact location of electron heating by improving the spatial resolution of the X-ray diagnostic. The X-ray diagnostic will also be used to study electron heating induced by an Electron Cyclotron Resonance…

Study of the fast-ion acceleration due to the beam-driven modes in C-2W

November 2025 | S. Kamio | APS DPP 2025 | Poster

In C-2U experiments, thermal ion acceleration by a beam-driven wave was observed [R. M. Magee et al. Nat. Phys. 15, 281–286 (2019)]. This thermal ion acceleration is pointed out to dramatically enhance the fusion rate because the beam energy is transferred to thermal ions, bypassing the electron channel…