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Beam Plasma Diagnostics Lab
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The lab explores the confinement and control of high-temperature plasma through measurement.
AboutAbout the lab
Understanding and controlling the confinement physics of high-temperature plasma.
The Beam Plasma Diagnostics Lab studies how to confine and control the high-temperature plasma, exceeding 100 million degrees, that is essential for fusion power generation.
Because solid probes cannot be inserted into plasma, the lab develops diagnostics that use laser light, microwaves, and ion beams, and investigates the behavior of turbulence, which is thought to cause the flow of heat and particles.
Using the QUEST spherical tokamak at Kyushu University, the lab is also developing methods that use machine learning to determine and control the position and shape of the plasma.
On the lab's website, it is introduced under the name "IdoHasegawaKinoshita Lab."
Key terms
- Tokamak
- A doughnut-shaped experimental device that confines plasma with a magnetic field.
- Turbulence
- Fluctuations that arise inside plasma. They are thought to be the main cause of heat and particles flowing out.
- Heavy ion beam probe
- A diagnostic that measures fluctuations in electric potential, density, and magnetic field from changes in an ion beam injected into the plasma. Also called HIBP.
- Thomson scattering diagnostics
- A method that directs laser light into the plasma and measures electron temperature and density from the wavelength and intensity of the scattered light.
NewsLab news
A lab staff member won a prize at the 3rd Everyday Research DX Contest
Heavy ion beam probe signal successfully detected on the PLATO tokamak
ResearchResearch themes
Realizing a fusion power reactor requires generating high-temperature plasma and confining it for a long time. The lab works on developing diagnostics that measure the inside of the plasma, on using those measurements to understand the physics of confinement, and on controlling confinement.
*Illustrative imageParticle control with fusion reactors in mind
On QUEST, the lab uses a high-temperature metal wall to control particle absorption by the vessel wall, creating conditions close to those of a fusion reactor. It aims to understand the mechanisms of particle transport from fundamental laws and to obtain knowledge that can also be applied to core plasmas in reactors.
*Illustrative imageDeveloping diagnostics to measure turbulence and electric fields
The lab develops diagnostics that measure turbulence and electric fields in plasma without touching it. It is developing a heavy ion beam probe and a microwave reflectometer and upgrading Thomson scattering diagnostics, and plans to explore confinement mechanisms by comparing the results with theory and simulation.
*Illustrative imageDeveloping the QUEST control system
The lab develops methods that use machine learning to determine the position and shape of the plasma in real time and to control them. With future fusion reactor applications in mind, challenges include long-duration data acquisition and control that does not use magnetic sensors.
*Illustrative imageConfinement mechanisms of spherical tokamaks
A spherical tokamak has the same doughnut shape as a standard tokamak, yet the dependence of its confinement performance on magnetic field strength and plasma current differs greatly. QUEST may be able to change the plasma shape, and the lab investigates why shape affects confinement performance.
MembersFaculty
The members of the Beam Plasma Diagnostics Lab are faculty, doctoral, master's, and undergraduate students, research students, and administrative assistants.As of 2025
- ProfessorTakeshi Ido
- Associate ProfessorMakoto Hasegawa
- Assistant ProfessorToshiki Kinoshita
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Report an errorAbout the images
The top and research theme images are illustrative and were not taken at the lab. They are cropped from Wikimedia Commons images. Cropped CC BY-SA images are provided under the same CC BY-SA license as the original (version shown on each line).
- Top image: “A segment of the Wendelstein 7-X vacuum vessel” Siarhei Besarab / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
- Particle control with fusion reactors in mind: “Alcator C-Mod Tokamak Interior” Mike Garrett / CC BY 3.0 (cropped)
- Developing diagnostics to measure turbulence and electric fields: “Portable diagnostic system for plasma measurements ( )” Oak Ridge National Laboratory / CC BY 2.0 (cropped)
- Developing the QUEST control system: “Soldering practice object for tokamak construction, in park of Tsukuba Expo Center” Syced / CC0 (cropped)
- Confinement mechanisms of spherical tokamaks: “MAST Tokamak ( )” Eye Steel Film / CC BY 2.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (Plasma Information Control Lab): “Electric glow discharge schematic-fr” Electric_glow_discharge_schematic.png: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Iantresman derivative work: Grimlock (talk) / CC BY 2.5 (cropped)
- Related lab (Non-equilibrium Plasma Dynamics Lab): “Diagnostic monitors in the control room of Wendelstein 7-X” Siarhei Besarab / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (Fusion Simulation Lab): “U.S. Department of Energy - Science - )” U.S. Department of Energy from United States / Public domain (cropped)
- Related lab (Theoretical Plasma Physics Lab): “Pilot Plasma Engine - GPN” NASA / Public domain (cropped)
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