Electron streaming from central core region in inertial-electrostatic confinement fusion

In a steady operation of inertial electrostatic confinement fusion (IECF), the electrons produced within a wire cathode should escape out and reach the anode-on the other hand the ions accelerated towards the cathode should enter the cathode eventually. To verify the guess, we developed a 3-D simulation code and studied formation of a potential distribution, electron trajectories and ion trajectories. The simulation results support electron streaming from the central region through the center area of opening of the cathode, which explains the distinctive discharge called a star mode commonly observed in the IECF experiments.