And there are others. A self-insulated ion diode in which the magnetic field from the ion and electron flow alone provide electron control, and the ion source is an anode plasma formed by relexing the electrons through a thin plastic foil. The pitch angle is zero when the particle moves purely parallel to the field, and 90-degrees when the particle has no parallel velocity at all. Plasmas have unique physics compared to solids, liquids, and gases. In plasma physics experiments or nuclear fusion experiments, operation is intended to prevent, in an effective and sufficiently prolonged manner, the particles of a plasma from striking the walls of the container in which this plasma is produced.
Plasma confinement is a fundamental requirement for obtaining net energy from a fusion plasma.
Hence, without confinement, the plasma fuel would disperse before enough fusion reactions could take place. The Plasma Focus is another device which depends on the pinch effect. Possible applications include both fusion and plasma propulsion, as well as other plasma research. In essence the plasma focus is generated by discharge of a current across the ends of two coaxial insulated conducting pipes. The Plasma Focus caused a huge stir when they generated copious neutrons, until it was discovered that the source of the neutrons was knockoffs from deuterium due to pinch accelerated electrons or ions.