Ambipolar Confinement Physics

How an electrostatic potential confines a tandem mirror's ions.

Mechanism

Electrostatic ion confinement

Because electrons escape a mirror faster than ions, a positive potential builds that then confines the ions electrostatically — ambipolar confinement. In a tandem mirror, dense end plugs deepen this potential deliberately, requiring a plug-to-central density ratio near 16 to confine the central-cell ions.

It is the physical mechanism at the heart of the Kronos burner.