Thomson began development of his concept in February 1946. He noted that this arrangement caused the positively charged fuel ions to drift outward more rapidly than the negatively charged electrons. This would result in a negative area in the center of the chamber that would develop over a short period. This net negative charge would then produce an attractive force on the ions, keeping them from drifting too far from the center, and thus preventing them from drifting to the walls. It appeared this could provide long-term confinement.