Microstability of a focused ion beam propagating through a z‐pinch plasma

A beam‐plasma system consisting of a focused light ion beam propagating through a z‐pinch plasma is analyzed for microinstabilities. Two instabilities are discussed, one driven by the relative streaming between beam ions and electrons and the other driven by streaming between plasma ions and electrons. Conditions for stability of both modes are derived and are used to demonstrate that ion beams appropriate for use in a pellet fusion device can be propagated to the pellet through a z‐pinch plasma without disruptive microturbulence.