Nonlinear Development of the Resistive Filamentation Instability

A two‐dimensional particle simulation of the resistive filamentation instability on a charge‐ and current‐neutralized particle beam is performed. The model equations used depend essentially on only one dimensionless parameter, making a numerical survey of the parametric dependence of the nonlinear behavior of the instability feasible. The simulation results are analyzed with reference to the focusing requirement of heavy‐ion beams acting as drivers for pellet fusion, and it is speculated that, under certain conditions, the nonlinear development of the instability may still allow adequate focusing of the beam.