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Steady-State Plasma Control Lab
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A lab that explores the maintenance and control of high-temperature plasma as a foundation for developing fusion reactors.
AboutAbout the lab
Exploring steady-state maintenance and control of high-temperature plasma
The Steady-State Plasma Control Lab studies how to maintain and control high-temperature plasma in steady state, using the spherical tokamak experimental device QUEST.
Because the interaction between plasma and the vessel wall changes with wall temperature, the lab carries out particle control experiments and modeling using a high-temperature wall.
The lab also studies radio-frequency plasma heating and plasma current drive using coaxial helicity injection, working on fundamental research for fusion reactor development.
The lab conducts education and research in cooperation with the Idei-Ikezoe Lab and the Ido Lab.
Key terms
- Spherical tokamak
- A type of tokamak device. There is not enough space at the center to place a sufficient solenoid coil.
- Hydrogen recycling
- A phenomenon in which hydrogen that has entered the wall returns to the surface and is released from the wall as hydrogen molecules.
- Plasma current
- A current driven in the toroidal direction in a tokamak device to maintain stable confinement.
- Coaxial helicity injection
- A method of causing plasma breakdown by applying a voltage between two electrodes inside a vacuum vessel.
ResearchResearch themes
This lab investigates how to maintain and control high-temperature plasma in steady state, using the spherical tokamak experimental device QUEST. It tackles issues such as plasma-wall interaction, how to drive plasma current, and how to start up plasma, advancing fundamental research for fusion reactor development.
*Illustrative imageWall-Hydrogen Interaction in Long-Duration Discharges
Hydrogen ions and hydrogen atoms from the plasma enter the wall and move inside it, and the hydrogen that returns to the surface is released as hydrogen molecules. The lab models and controls this hydrogen recycling in long-duration discharge experiments on the scale of 1,000 seconds, using a high-temperature wall.
*Illustrative imageImproving Plasma Current Drive Methods
In a tokamak, a plasma current must be driven for stable confinement. In a spherical tokamak, there is not enough space at the center to place a sufficient coil, so non-inductive current drive is a challenge. At QUEST, the lab studies radio-frequency heating by microwave injection.
*Illustrative imageDevelopment of Coaxial Helicity Injection
In collaboration with the University of Washington and Princeton University, an experimental plan for coaxial helicity injection (CHI) is under way. Stable generation of initial plasma has been observed with newly designed electrodes, and the current challenge is maintaining equilibrium through magnetic field control.
MembersFaculty
The members of the Hanada Lab consist of faculty, research collaborators, doctoral and master's students, collaborative researchers, and administrative assistants.As of 2025
- ProfessorKazuaki Hanada
- Assistant ProfessorTakumi Onchi
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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: “MAST bottom view ( )” Andy Busse / CC BY-SA 2.0 (cropped)
- Wall-Hydrogen Interaction in Long-Duration Discharges: “Schematic-of-a-tokamak-chamber-and-magnetic-profile” R.A. Pitts, R.J. Buttery, S.D. Pinches / CC BY 4.0 (cropped)
- Improving Plasma Current Drive Methods: “Model of Tokamak Plasma” WikiHelper2221 / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
- Development of Coaxial Helicity Injection: “General Fusion plasma injector ( )” Eye Steel Film from Canada / CC BY 2.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (Steady-State Plasma Science and Engineering Lab): “Demo stv” Patron974 / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (Boundary Plasma Experiment and Analysis Lab): “MSNW Fusion Rocket Prototype” Alan Boyle, GeekWire and MSNW Inc (now defunct). / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (Steady-State Plasma Heating Lab): “MAST side view ( )” Andy Busse / CC BY-SA 2.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (Plasma Wave Science and Engineering Lab): “NASA magnetosphere plasma waves diagram” Credits: NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center/Mary Pat Hrybyk-Keith / Public domain (cropped)
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