Design and Commissioning of a 3D-Printed Hall Probe Array for Magnetic Field Mapping on the STAR_Lite Stellarator

Hampton University is in the process of Building the STAR_Lite stellarator to study various magnetic field and divertor configurations. As part of this ongoing development, precise magnetic field mapping is essential. To achieve this, we designed and 3D-printed a custom cylindrical Hall probe holder with capacity for 16 probes, each positioned along a shared z-axis with precise vertical offsets. This arrangement allows us to measure spatial variations in field strength and direction without moving the probes individually. The holder mounts directly onto an LTS 300C tilt stage via a rigid 25 × 25 mm rod interface, ensuring stable alignment during motion and also preventing distortion of the local magnetic field. Probe orientations are carefully calibrated so that their readings—each recording Bx, By, and Bz—can be transformed into a unified coordinate system, compensating for inverted mounting where necessary. Controlled through codes and software, the LTS 300C enables precise multi-axis positioning, allowing the probe array to sweep through the stellarator's field region. This system will generate magnetic field maps critical to verifying and refining our magnetic configuration, providing key insights for diagnosing our field direction and strength, optimizing plasma confinement and advancing the design of STAR_Lite.