Patent ID: 7015646

Claim:
A method of confining a plasma comprising positively charged ions and negatively charged electrons, the method comprising the steps of: generating a first magnetic field within a chamber from an applied magnetic field, generating a second magnetic field within the chamber; combining the first and second magnetic fields forming a combined magnetic field having a topology of a field reversed configuration (FRC); generating an electrostatic field within the confinement structure, the electrostatic field forming a electric potential energy well; tuning the electrostatic field to a desired magnitude, injecting plasma into the chamber, the plasma comprising positively charged ions and negatively charged electrons; magnetically confining a plurality of plasma ions within the confinement structure by causing the plurality of plasma ions to orbit within the FRC due to Lorenz forces acting on the plurality of plasma ions; and electrostatically confining a plurality of plasma electrons within the electric potential energy well.