Controlled optimization of mode conversion from electron Bernstein waves to extraordinary mode in magnetized plasma

Radio-frequency electromagnetic field measurements for direct detection of electron Bernstein waves in a torus plasma

To identify the mode-converted electron Bernstein wave (EBW) in a torus plasma directly, we have developed an interferometry system, in which a diagnostic microwave injected outside of the plasma column was directly detected with the probing antenna inserted into the plasma. In this work, plasma production and heating are achieved with 2.45 GHz, 2.5 kW electron cyclotron heating (ECH), whereas diagnostics are carried out with a lower power (10 W) separate frequency (1-2.1 GHz) microwave. Three components, i.e., two electromagnetic (toroidal and poloidal directions) and an electrostatic (if refractive index is sufficiently higher than unity, it corresponds to radial component), of ECRF electric field are simultaneously measured with three probing antennas, which are inserted into plasma. Selectivities of each component signal were checked experimentally. Excitation antennas have quite high selectivity of direction of linear polarization. As probing antennas for detecting electromagnetic components, we employed a monopole antenna with a length of 35 mm, and the separation of the poloidal (O-wave) and toroidal (X-wave) components of ECRF electric field could be available with this antenna. To detect EBW, which is an electrostatic wave, a small tip (1 mm) antenna was used. As the preliminary results, we detected signals that have three characteristics of EBW, i.e., short wavelength, backward propagation, and electrostatic.

Second-harmonic generation of electron-bernstein waves in an inhomogeneous plasma

In the injection of electron-Bernstein waves (EBW) into a plasma, proposed for plasma heating and current drive in over-dense plasma, conversion of the fundamental to its second harmonic is predicted analytically and observed in computations. The mechanism is traced to the existence of locations where one can have both wave number and frequency matching between the fundamental and its harmonic. Further, at such locations, the second harmonic commonly has minimal group velocity, and this allows the amplitude of the second harmonic to build to values exceeding that of the fundamental at power levels less than anticipated in experiments. The second-harmonic power can then be deposited at half-harmonic resonances of the original wave, often far from the desired location of energy deposition. Estimates for the power at which this is significant are given.

Heating by an electron Bernstein wave in a spherical tokamak plasma via mode conversion

The first successful high power heating of a high dielectric constant spherical tokamak plasma by an electron Bernstein wave (EBW) is reported. An EBW was excited by mode conversion (MC) of an mode cyclotron wave injected from the low magnetic field side of the TST-2 spherical tokamak. Evidence of electron heating was observed as increases in the stored energy and soft x-ray emission. The increased emission was concentrated in the plasma core region. A heating efficiency of over 50% was achieved, when the density gradient in the MC region was sufficiently steep.