First plasma ignited in the new VINETA.75 experiment at Greifswald University!

First plasma ignited in the new VINETA.75 experiment at Greifswald University!

In February 2025, the Institute of Physics... University of Greifswald the first plasma was ignited in the new plasma physics experiment VINETA.75. This important experiment is the successor to an older device that was put into operation at the Max Planck Institute for Plasma Physics (IPP) in Greifswald in the early 2000s.

The name VINETA stands for “Versatile Instrument for studies on Nonlinearity, Electromagnetism, Turbulence and Applications”. The aim is to promote the education of students while at the same time achieving valuable research results. The director of the IPP, Prof. Dr. Thomas Klinger, initiated the move of the experiment, which is now accessible to a larger audience.

Technical details and equipment

The VINETA.75 device impresses with its modular concept, with each module having a length of around one meter and an inner diameter of around 0.4 meters. Each of these modules is surrounded by eight magnetic field coils, the position and currents of which can be adjusted independently. This allows the study of both homogeneous magnetic fields and the effects of flux expansion or compression.

Plasma generation is done by a special helicon antenna capable of generating high density plasmas. Standard diagnostics include Langmuir probes. The experimental setup is ideal for studying the physics of the peel layer, achieving densities and electron temperatures that are similar to those in a fusion device.

Research priorities and future prospects

Future experiments on VINETA.75 will focus on a variety of topics, including nuclear fusion, wakefield acceleration, gas conversion, space propulsion, and fundamental instabilities in plasma astrophysics. Prof. Dr. Peter Manz, who has led the Experimental Plasma Physics working group since 2021, emphasizes that VINETA.75 will provide significant insights into the understanding of magnetized plasmas. In addition, the device enables practical training for students.

The multi-institutional collaboration includes scientists from IPP, the Leibniz Institute for Plasma Research and Technology (INP) Greifswald, the University of Stuttgart and the Kyushu University in Fukuoka. This close collaboration and the exchange of knowledge and technology ensure that VINETA.75 establishes itself as an innovative place for modern plasma physics.

A review of plasma physics

The developments in plasma physics are deeply rooted in history and date back to the 17th century. Early experiments by scientists such as Francis Hauksbee and Michael Faraday laid the foundation for understanding plasmas. By 1929, Irving Langmuir and others introduced the term “plasma,” making progress in the study of gas discharges visible. The historical advances in this area are important to understand the context of experiments like VINETA.75, which are based on the findings of the past. An overview of the history of plasma physics illustrates how far research has come and shows the versatility and relevance of this field. The DPG provides comprehensive insights into the development of the discipline.

With the successful ignition of the first plasma in VINETA.75, the University of Greifswald has taken a significant step in plasma physics, which is of great importance both for the training of future scientists and for research in this important field.