Erlangen 2026 – wissenschaftliches Programm
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P: Fachverband Plasmaphysik
P 16: Poster Session Plasma Physics
P 16.35: Poster
Donnerstag, 19. März 2026, 13:45–15:45, Redoutensaal
Computational modeling of hot-cathode ionization gauges for fusion applications — •Alexander Glock1,2, Michael Griener1, Christian Drobny1, Gregor Birkenmeier1,2, Hans Meister1, and Georg Schlisio1 — 1Max Planck Institute for plasma physics (IPP), Garching/Greifswald, Germany — 2Technical University of Munich (TUM), Munich, Germany
In magnetic confinement fusion, the measurement of neutral gas densities is an essential metric for plasma control. Hot-cathode ionization gauges are commonly used for this purpose. The so-called ASDEX gauge is a diagnostic instrument designed to provide local and temporally resolved measurements of neutral gas pressure in the presence of strong magnetic fields. It is a hot-cathode ionization gauge with a linear geometry. Its operation relies on the measurement of an ion current produced when electrons emitted from the hot cathode collide with neutral gas particles. This gauge type has been successfully adapted for use in ASDEX Upgrade and Wendelstein 7-X, with further modifications developed for ITER. However, the linear geometry can also introduce signal instabilities due to complex particle interactions within the gauge head. The present project aims to deepen the understanding of the physical processes inside the gauge and to investigate these effects using a detailed computational model validated against experimental data. The gauge system is modeled with a kinetic Boltzmann approach solved through the particle-in-cell (PIC) method with Monte Carlo collisions (MCC), capable of performance prediction and design optimizations toward a robust and universal fusion diagnostic.
Keywords: Fusion diagnostics; Ionization gauge; particle-in-cell (PIC); Nuclear fusion; Neutral gas pressure