Sample interview questions: Explain the role of plasma physics in fusion energy research.
Sample answer:
- Creation and Confinement of Plasma:
- Plasma physicists study how to generate and confine high-temperature plasma in a controlled manner. This involves understanding plasma’s unique properties, such as its response to electromagnetic fields and its behavior in various confinement configurations (e.g., tokamaks, stellarators).
- Plasma Heating:
- Achieving fusion reactions requires heating the plasma to extremely high temperatures (millions of degrees Celsius). Plasma physicists develop methods for efficient and controlled plasma heating, such as ohmic heating, neutral beam injection, and radiofrequency heating.
- Instability Control:
- Plasma is prone to various instabilities that can disrupt fusion reactions and damage the reactor components. Plasma physicists work on understanding and mitigating these instabilities through various techniques, such as active feedback control systems and optimizing plasma parameters.
- Fueling and Exhaust:
- Plasma physicists study the injection and removal of fuel (typically isotopes of hydrogen) into and out of the plasma. This involves optimizing fuel density, minimizing impurities, and controlling the exhaust of fusion reaction products like helium ash.
- Diagnostics and Measurements:
- Plasma physicists develop advanced diagnostic techniques to measure various plasma parameters, such as temperature, density, and impurity levels. These measurements are cruci… Read full answer