A tokamak at fusion temperatures generates large amounts of synchrotron radiation. With proper configuration of the walls, this radiation can sustain the current. This is accomplished by a fish-scale wall that preferentially reflects radiation propagating in one direction while absorbing that going oppositely. The wall transfers momentum to the electrons through radiation pressure. A rough theoretical treatment shows that at high temperatures (30-50 keV) sufficient current for a steady-state tokamak may be driven.

• Received 12 April 1982

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.48.1730