Stellarator

In the 1960s, with the proposal of magnetic confinement configurations such as tokamaks and stellarators, theoretical physicists sought to characterize the equilibrium and stability conditions of plasma with simplified mathematical models, and from this proposed a series of conjectures.

The representative devices of magnetic confinement fusion are the tokamak (such as ITER) and the stellarator, whose advantages are long plasma confinement times and relatively clear physical mechanisms, while the disadvantages are enormous device size and extremely high construction costs.

Proxima Fusion is a nuclear fusion company pursuing the stellarator technology approach.

Tokamaks confine plasma using a toroidal magnetic field and the plasma's own current, have a relatively simple structure but tend toward pulsed operation and are prone to disruptions; stellarators rely on external coils to generate a three-dimensional helical magnetic field, are suitable for steady-state operation, but are more difficult and costly to manufacture.