In
fusion power research, the
Z-pinch, also known as
zeta pinch, is a type of
plasma confinement system that uses an electrical current in the plasma to generate a magnetic field that compresses it (see
pinch). These systems were originally referred to simply as
pinch or
Bennett pinch (after
Willard Harrison Bennett), but the introduction of the
theta-pinch concept led to the need for increased clarity.