Effects of electrode shape on performance characteristics of a cylindricalinertial electrostatic confinement fusion device

The effects of beam convergence on the fusion reaction rate in the cylindri cal inertial electrostatic confinement fusion device are investigated using a two-dimensional simulation code and experiments. It is found from the si mulation that the fusion reaction rate increases significantly with an incr ease of beam convergence; therefore, there is an increase of ion densities at the center region. In the experiments designed to confirm these results using different electrode shapes, the effects of the anode shape are clearl y observed.