Characteristics of the compact plasma device AIT‐PID with multicusp magnetic confinement

A unique plasma‐generation device called the “Aichi Institute of Technology‐Plasma Irradiation Device” has been developed for plasma–wall interaction (PWI) studies toward realization of a fusion reactor. It has power‐saving characteristics as well as compactness due to the employment of a multicusp magnetic field configuration instead of a strong axial magnetic field. Helium as well as argon plasmas are generated, showing an outstanding property of production of the hot‐electron component which can be controlled by changing the working gas pressure. Utilizing such outstanding properties, some typical studies on PWI are introduced. An azimuthally asymmetric confinement depending on the direction of magnetic field lines, particularly for energetic electrons, has been found. Some discussions on the physical mechanisms are given. IEEJ Trans 2011 DOI: 10.1002/tee.21801