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The FuZE-Q DiVA project: enhanced diagnostic access for fusion-grade coaxial plasma accelerator development

ORAL

Abstract

Zap Energy's shear-flow-stabilized (SFS) Z pinch concept requires a quasi-steady source of axisymmetric flowing plasma with embedded shear. We produce this using MA-driven 'Marshall

gun'-type coaxial plasma accelerators. Despite their simplicity, these devices exhibit complex plasma dynamics that are difficult to study due to limited diagnostic access in coaxial electrode

configurations. The DiVA (Diagnostic Vision in the Accelerator) upgrade to the FuZE-Q SFS platform provides comprehensive diagnostic access to the inter-electrode plasma, enabling device characterization and optimization to generate for fast, dense, symmetric plasma flows with low impurity content. We present the DiVA diagnostic suite, data synthesis and inference strategies, and initial results from developing fusion-relevant plasma sources for SFS Z pinches.

Presenters

  • Anton D Stepanov

    Zap Energy Inc., University of Washington

Authors

  • Anton D Stepanov

    Zap Energy Inc., University of Washington

  • Aaron C Hossack

    Zap Energy Inc.

  • Ralph Kube

    Zap Energy, Zap Energy Inc.

  • Kyle D Morgan

    Zap Energy Inc.

  • A. Stephen S Richardson

    Zap Energy Inc., Zap Energy

  • Andrew S Taylor

    Zap Energy Inc.

  • Whitney Reed Thomas

    Zap Energy Inc.