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US 4,152,625 AGranted
Plasma generation and confinement with continuous wave lasers
AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army
InventorRaymond W. Conrad
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for initiating a stable plasma and maintaining the asma stationary. A high power, continuous wave laser is used to initiate and maintain the plasma, while a magnetic trap confines the plasma.
Claims6
Apparatus for generation and confinement of plasma comprising:
- a continuous wave laser for radiating energy to a focal plane, ignition means at said focal plane for initiating a plasma when irradiated by said laser energy, magnetic means for restricting normal motion of said plasma up the laser beam, and a housing forming an elongated chamber therein having a longitudinal axis along which said laser energy is directed to said ignition means, and said magnetic means is disposed circumferentially around a portion of said axis for uniformly applying a magnetic field around said axis for containing said plasma between said magnetic field and said focal plane.
A method for generating and confinement of a plasma comprising the steps of:
- focusing a continuous wave laser beam in a focal plane;
- irradiating igniting means at said focal plane for initiating a plasma;
- applying a magnetic field across a portion of the path of said laser beam around the circumference thereof for magnetically restricting motion of said plasma up said laser beam;
- and
- establishing a selectable plasma equilibrium position within said laser beam between said magnetic field and said focal plane by adjusting the magnetic field intensity.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.