A high-density field reversed configuration plasma for magnetized target fusion

We describe a program to demonstrate the scientific basis of magnetized target fusion (MTF). MTF is a potentially low-cost path to fusion which is intermediate in plasma regime between magnetic (MFE) and inertial fusion energy (IFE). MTF involves the compression of a magnetized target plasma and pressure times volume (PdV) heating to fusion relevant conditions inside a converging flux conserving boundary. We have chosen to demonstrate MTF by using a field-reversed configuration (FRC) as our magnetized target plasma and an imploding metal liner for compression. These choices take advantage of significant past scientific and technical accomplishments in MFE and defense programs research and should yield substantial plasma performance (n/spl tau/>10/sup 13/ s-cm/sup -3/ T>5 keV) using an available pulsed-power implosion facility at modest cost. We have recently shown the density, temperature, and lifetime of this FRC to be within a factor of 2-3 of that required for use as a suitable target plasma for MTF compression for a fusion demonstration.