The HelCat (Helicon-Cathode) plasma device is 4 meters long and 50 cm in diameter. Water cooled coils (orange below) surround the vacuum chamber, and produce an axial magnetic field B up to 2 kG. HelCat is so-named because it has two independent plasma sources - one at each end of the device. An RF (2 - 30 MHz) Helicon source is located at the south end, and a BaO coated Ni thermionic cathode resides at the north end.
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HELCAT device shown from the RF helicon source end | |
HELCAT device shown from the thermionic cathode end |
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Helicon-generated argon plasma seen through the first few ports at the helicon end | |
Cathode-generated plasma in the 1 meter device operated last year prior to construction of the 4 meter device |
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Argon plasma at the helical RF antenna |
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