PLX-BETHE: Target Formation and Integrated Experiments for Plasma-Jet-Driven Magneto-Inertial Fusion (PJMIF)

Plasma-jet-driven magneto-inertial fusion (PJMIF) is an alternative approach to controlled nuclear fusion that aims to utilize a line-replaceable dense plasma liner as a repetitive spherical compression driver. In this experiment, the first measurements of the formation of a spherical argon plasma liner formed from 36 discrete pulsed plasma jets are obtained on the Plasma Liner Experiment (PLX). Properties including liner uniformity and morphology, plasma density, temperature, and ram pressure are assessed as a function of time throughout the implosion process. The results indicate an apparent transition from initial kinetic inter-jet interpenetration to a collisional regime near stagnation times, in accordance with theoretical expectations. A lack of primary shock structures between adjacent jets during flight implies that arbitrarily smooth liners may be formed by corresponding improvements in jet parameters and control. These measurements facilitate the benchmarking of computational models and understanding the scaling of plasma liners toward fusion-relevant energy density.