What is it about?
This article explores how electrons can become trapped inside special devices called gyrotrons, which are used for heating plasma in nuclear fusion experiments like ITER. Gyrotrons produce powerful microwaves by sending a ring-shaped beam of electrons through magnetic and electric fields. However, some electrons can get stuck in the electron gun of the gyrotron and form a dense cloud that may lead to power losses or even damage the device. To better understand this issue, the study uses computer simulations and compares them with data from a laboratory experiment called T-REX, which replicates the behavior of a real electron gun. This approach helps identify how and why these electron clouds form. The results can support the design of improved gyrotrons that avoid such problems, making them more reliable and efficient for future fusion energy systems.
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Why is it important?
Gyrotrons are essential devices for heating the plasma in fusion reactors, which are being developed as a clean and almost limitless energy source.
Perspectives
This study opens the door to more accurate simulations of how electron clouds behave in realistic gyrotron geometries. In the future, this work can be used to guide the design of next-generation gyrotrons that are more efficient and reliable.
Pierrick Giroud-Garampon
Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Electron trapping in gyrotron electron guns: Validation of the FENNECS code with the T-REX experiment, Physics of Plasmas, May 2025, American Institute of Physics,
DOI: 10.1063/5.0267466.
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