Magnetohydrodynamic stabilization of an axisymmetric mirror plasma with a magnetic divertor is studied. An equation is found for the flute modes, which includes the stabilizing influence of ion temperature anisotropy and nonparaxial magnetic fields, as well as a finite ion Larmor radius. It is shown that if the density profile is sufficiently gentle, then the nonparaxial configuration can stabilize all modes as long as ion temperature is radially uniform. This can be demonstrated even when the density vanishes on the separatrix and even for small ion Larmor radii. It is found, however, that the ion temperature gradient makes the unstable region wider; high ion temperature is required to stabilize the flute mode.

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A non-contact manipulation is required in order to treat such objects as semiconductor wafers. This paper describes a conveyance system using an air flow to levitate and move the objects. It is also important to adapt the system construction for various design of factory lines. This research employs the concept of distributed systems composed of many units. We have developed elemental units so as to arrange a conveyance system according to its design. A developed unit is 100 mm x 100 mm x 30 mm. Precise positioning by microdevice is also considered and investigated. This paper reports experimental investigation of the developed system.

A computer code, which was written to investigate flute modes and related transport, can be applied to a magnetic shearless confinement system as well as a tandem mirror. Computer simulation conducted in a modeled magnetic divertor with initial rigid plasma rotation shows that flute modes enhance radial transport during its growing phase, and shear (zonal) flows appear in the final stage.

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