Magnetic field reconstruction with optical fiber sensors in plasma lenses

Optical properties of plasma lenses strongly depend on the magnetic field distribution. Its measurement with conventional magnetic probes is quite critical for such application. In this paper the measurement of the magnetic field in a Z pinch discharge, based on the Faraday effect in optical fibers, is described. It is shown that it is possible, using a quite simple and relatively low cost experimental setup, to detect the field dynamics inside the discharge tube assuring low disturbance, a large bandwidth, and a high signal to noise ratio. Applications to several kinds of plasma lenses and further development are discussed