High magnetic field test of bismuth Hall sensors for ITER steady state magnetic diagnostic

The Comparison of InSb-Based Thin Films and Graphene on SiC for Magnetic Diagnostics under Extreme Conditions

The ability to precisely measure magnetic fields under extreme operating conditions is becoming increasingly important as a result of the advent of modern diagnostics for future magnetic-confinement fusion devices. These conditions are recognized as strong neutron radiation and high temperatures (up to 350 °C). We report on the first experimental comparison of the impact of neutron radiation on graphene and indium antimonide thin films. For this purpose, a 2D-material-based structure was fabricated in the form of hydrogen-intercalated quasi-free-standing graphene on semi-insulating high-purity on-axis 4H-SiC(0001), passivated with an Al₂O₃ layer. InSb-based thin films, donor doped to varying degrees, were deposited on a monocrystalline gallium arsenide or a polycrystalline ceramic substrate. The thin films were covered with a SiO₂ insulating layer. All samples were exposed to a fast-neutron fluence of ≈7×1017 cm^-2. The results have shown that the graphene sheet is only moderately affected by neutron radiation compared to the InSb-based structures. The low structural damage allowed the graphene/SiC system to retain its electrical properties and excellent sensitivity to magnetic fields. However, InSb-based structures proved to have significantly more post-irradiation self-healing capabilities when subject to proper temperature treatment. This property has been tested depending on the doping level and type of the substrate.

Ceramic-Chromium Hall Sensors for Environments with High Temperatures and Neutron Radiation

Ceramic-chromium Hall sensors represent a temperature and radiation resistant alternative to Hall sensors based on semiconductors. Demand for these sensors is presently motivated by the ITER and DEMO nuclear fusion projects. The developed ceramic-chromium Hall sensors were tested up to a temperature of 550 °C and a magnetic field of 14 T. The magnitude of the sensitivity of the tested sensor was 6.2 mV/A/T at 20 °C and 4.6 mV/A/T at 500 °C. The sensitivity was observed to be weakly dependent on a temperature above 240 °C with an average temperature coefficient of 0.014%/°C and independent of the magnetic field with a relative average deviation below the measurement accuracy of 0.086%. A simulation of a neutron-induced transmutation was performed to assess changes in the composition of the chromium. After 5.2 operational years of the DEMO fusion reactor, the transmuted fraction of the chromium sensitive layer was found to be 0.27% at the most exposed sensor location behind the divertor cassette with a neutron fluence of 6.08 × 10²⁵ n/m². The ceramic-chromium Hall sensors show the potential to be suitable magnetic sensors for environments with high temperatures and strong neutron radiation.

High magnetic field test of the ITER outer vessel steady-state magnetic field Hall sensors at ITER relevant temperature

The ITER outer vessel steady-state magnetic field sensor diagnostics consist of sixty sensor units. Each sensor unit features a pair of ceramic-metal Hall sensors with a sensing layer made of bismuth. The sensors were tested simultaneously in the magnetic field ranging from -12 T to +12 T at the temperature range from 27 to 127 °C. The Hall coefficient and magnetoresistance of the bismuth layer related to the sensors were identified. In the sensor operating conditions, the Hall coefficient dependence on temperature was fitted with an exponential function with a relative error of less than 0.08%, and the dependence on the magnetic field was fitted with a Gaussian-like function with a relative error of less than 0.11%. An alternative expression based on the physical understanding of the free charge carrier transport in semimetals was derived to describe the dependence of the Hall coefficient on the magnetic field, and its fitting error of 1.2 mT in terms of the magnetic field measurement has met the ITER measurement accuracy requirements.

Steady state magnetic sensors for ITER and beyond: Development and final design (invited)

The measurements of the magnetic field in tokamaks such as ITER and DEMO will be challenging due to the long pulse duration, high neutron flux, and elevated temperatures. The long duration of the plasma pulse makes standard techniques, such as inductive coils, prone to errors. At the same time, the hostile environment, with repairs possible only on blanket exchange, if at all, requires a robust magnetic sensor. This contribution presents the final design of novel, steady-state, magnetic sensors for ITER. A poloidal array of 60 sensors mounted on the vacuum vessel outer shell contributes to the measurement of the plasma current, plasma-wall clearance, low-frequency MHD modes and will allow for crosscheck with the outer-vessel inductive coils. Each sensor hosts a pair of bismuth Hall probes, themselves an outcome of extensive R&D, including neutron irradiations (to 10²³ n/m²), temperature cycling tests (73-473 K) and tests at high magnetic field (to 12 T). A significant effort has been devoted to optimize the sensor housing by design and prototyping. The production version features an indium-filled cell for in situ recalibration of the onboard thermocouple, vital for the interpretation of the Hall sensor measurement.