Introduction
The DTU Fusor is a device for electrostatic confinement of fusion plasmas. It consists of a cylindrical vacuum chamber, which is electrically grounded. Inside the chamber, a small semi-transparent titanium grid is suspended. When a large negative voltage is applied to this grid, the resulting electric field creates a plasma, and ions in the ambient gas will accelerate towards the center of the chamber. Inside the cathode grid, the density and energy of the ions can become large enough for fusion to occur.
Specifications
A potential of up to -60 kV can be applied to the cathode grid, with a maximum electron current of 25 mA. When operated with deuterium gas, the fusion rate in the Fusor can reach a million reactions per second. This can be measured using a neutron counter, which detects neutrons that are produced as fusion products. Other diagnostics on the Fusor include optical cameras, an optical spectrometer, and occasionally an X-ray spectrometer. An ion gun has also been installed on the Fusor in order to boost the fusion rate even further.
Use and results
The simplicity of the Fusor and its ability to generate fusion, makes the setup useful for both research, teaching, and public outreach. The Fusor is an integral part of the plasma physics teaching at DTU and an integral part of many student projects. Some of these projects have contributed to published research results on the nature and operation of electrostatically confined plasmas. Details of this work can be found here.
The Fusor is located at DTU (Kgs. Lyngby), building 309.