A nuclear engineering graduate student makes adjustments to the MEDUSA tokamak, which is used to investigate plasma physics questions. (37K JPG)

The experimental plasma physics program addresses important problems in fusion plasma physics, basic plasma physics, and the industrial applications of plasmas. Professor Fonck and his students are investigating plasma startup, confinement and stability in the MEDUSA tokamak, which is a small aspect ratio machine designed to improve the reactor potential of tokamaks. Fonck and his students are also part of the MST reversed-field pinch research team in the Department of Physics. They are also investigating inertial-electrostatic confinement as an alternative to conventional confinement concepts. Professor Hershkowitz and his students are researching basic plasma physics phenomena such as instabilities, non-linear waves, plasma sheaths, formation of double layers, development of plasma sources and diagnostics, and laboratory space physics such as satellite electric field diagnostics. They are also studying plasma etching for microelectronics (see the Center for Plasma-Aided Manufacturing). As part of the Plasma Source Ion Implantation program, Professor Conrad is investigating plasma sheaths.

In addition to on-campus work, Professor Fonck and his students conduct experimental plasma physics research off campus. Several students conduct experiments on the TFTR tokamak at the Princeton Plasma Physics Lab -- both on location and remotely (through computer networks from UW-Madison to the plasma diagnotics and control room at TFTR.) A similar arrangement with the D-III tokamak at General Atomics is being initiated. It allows graduate students to participate in forefront research on the largest tokamaks in the U.S. Topics being investigated include alpha particle physics and plasma transport across the magnetic field due to turbulence.