Researchers involved in the Wisconsin HTS Asymmetric Mirror (WHAM) experiment have taken a significant step towards making clean, carbon-free fusion power a reality.
The WHAM team, led by University of Wisconsin-Madison physics professor Cary Forest, generated plasma using the strongest steady magnetic field ever applied in such a device.
On July 15, 2024, the team formed and held a plasma with a magnetic field strength of 17 Tesla using high-temperature superconductor (HTS) magnets. This magnetic field strength is more than twice as powerful as those used in high-resolution MRI scanners, setting a new world record for magnetically confined plasmas.
“First plasma is a crucial first step for us in that direction,” Forest explained, emphasizing the significance of the development toward achieving viable fusion energy.