Apparatus and method for extended plasma confinement

A method, comprising:

• activating one or more gas-puff valves to introduce an axisymmetric volume of a neutral gas into an acceleration volume;
• generating a radial electric field to support a first current by using tips formed at localized concave elements of a shaping part conductively connected to an outer electrode to enhance a local electric field and facilitate breakdown of the introduced neutral gas, the first current flowing, via the introduced neutral gas, between an inner electrode and the outer electrode, the outer electrode arranged coaxially with respect to the inner electrode so as to surround an unsupported end of the inner electrode;
• and
• forming a Z-pinch plasma column from the introduced neutral gas to support a second current flowing between the inner electrode and the outer electrode,
• wherein the Z-pinch plasma column is surrounded and stabilized by a sheared velocity plasma flow formed, at least in part, from the neutral gas.

A plasma confinement system, comprising:

• an outer electrode;
• an inner electrode concentrically positioned within the outer electrode and arranged coaxially with respect to the outer electrode;
• at least one power supply conductively coupled to each of the inner and outer electrodes, terminals of the at least one power supply configured to generate a potential difference between the inner and outer electrodes;
• and
• one or more first valves fluidly coupled to a fuel gas supply and configured to direct sufficient neutral gas sourced from the fuel gas supply to support a localized breakdown path between the inner electrode and tips formed at localized concave elements of a shaping part conductively connected to the outer electrode which enhance a local electric field and to establish a sheared velocity plasma flow for a duration of a Z-pinch discharge flowing between the inner and outer electrodes.