Multi-chord Heterodyne Quadrature Interferometry Measurement of the FuZE Sheared Flow Z - Pinch Plasma

Abstract

The FuZE Z-pinch experiment is a plasma confinement experiment that uses radially sheared plasma flow to stabilize the otherwise unstable Z-pinch plasma. The experiment aims to test sheared flow stabilization in fusion-relevant plasma parameters to investigate sheared Z-pinch confinement's potential for nuclear fusion power generation.The FuZE Diagnostic suite includes He-Ne heterodyne quadrature multi-chord interferometry, which has been used to gain insight into the time evolving density characteristics of FuZE Z-pinch plasma. This thesis covers the experimental setup of the He-Ne interferometry, theoretical background behind heterodyne quadrature interferometry, signal analysis using analog circuitry and a Python routine, and the resulting density measurements.