Study of High Power ICRF Antenna Design in LHD

In large helical device （LHD）, antenna loadings are different for minority ion cyclotron heating （MICH with 38.47 MHz） and mode-converted ion Bernstein wave heating （MC-IBW with 28.4 MHz）, and it is necessary to improve antenna loading with low heating efficiency to avoid arching on transmission line. To design a new ion cyclotron range of frequencies （ICRF） antenna in LHD, calculation for a simple antenna model is conducted using three-dimensional electrical magnetic code （high frequency structure simulator, HFSS） for an water loading as an imaginary plasma with low heating efficiency. At resonant frequencies, antenna loading is sensitive to strap width, and resonant frequencies are strongly related to strap height. There is no differences of RF current profile on the strap surface between resonant frequency and non-resonant frequency. The strap should be perpendicularly placed against the magnetic field line, since Faraday-shield angle will lead to a decrease in the effective antenna height.

Development of a Heavy Ion Bearn Probe for Measuring Electrostatic Potential Profile and Its Fluctuation in LHD

A heavy ion beam probe （HIBP） using a 3-MV tandem accelerator has been installed on large helical device （LHD）. Electrostatic potential in core plasma can be measured under the toroidal magnetic field strength of up to 3 T. By using the HIBP, the transition of potential profiles from electron-root to ion^root is observed in core plasmas during ramp-up of the electron density. Potential fluctuations are also measured electron cyclotron current drive （ECCD）. Two kind of characteristic fluctuations are observed. One is a reversed-shear-induced Alfv^n eigenmode （RSAE）, whose frequency varies during the evolution of the rotational transform profile, and the other is with a constant geodeisc acoustic mode （GAM） frequency.

Measurement of the Electron Bernstein Wave Emission with One of the Power Transmission Lines for ECH in LHD

Possibility of the measurement of radiated waves derived from the thermally emitted electron Bernstein wave （EBW） is numerically investigated based on the assumption of the super dense core （SDC） plasma generated in LHD. EBW that is thermally emitted in the electron cyclotron resonance （ECR） layer may couple with the electromagnetic wave and be emitted to the vacuum via the EBW-extraordinary-ordinary （B-X-O） mode conversion process. We consider the use of one of the transmission lines for electron cyclotron heating （ECH） in LHD as a receiving system of the emission. It is derived that the waves in the fundamental cyclotron frequency range are emitted as the EBW near their upper hybrid resonance （UHR） layer outside the last close flux surface （LCFS）. On the other hand, waves in the second harmonics cyclotron frequency range are emitted in the core region. It means that successful measurement of waves of the second harmonic frequency range emitted from extremely high dense core plasma with setting an aim angle for receiving indicates a possibility of the second harmonic ECH by EBW in the core region with setting the same aim angle and the same polarization for launching.

Investigation of Experimental Con6guration for Electron Bernstein Wave Heating on LHD

Investigation of experimental configuration for the electron Bernstein wave （EBW） heating by using the existing electron cyclotron heating （ECH） antennas on LHD was performed. By using an antenna installed in the lower port, direct oblique launching of the extraordinary （X-） mode from the high magnetic field side （HFS） is available. Since the parallel component of the refractive index （NIF） varies during propagation because of the inhomogeneity of the magnetic field, NH can be zero when the launched X-mode crosses the fundamental electron cyclotron resonance （ECR） layer even NⅡ is noonzero initially. In such a condition, if the electron density is above a certain level the obliquely launched X-mode can pass the fundamental ECR layer without being damped out and can be mode-converted to EBW that is absorbed at the Doppler shifted ECR layer. By using an antenna installed in the horizontal port, oblique launching from the lower magnetic field side （LFS） toward the over-dense plasma is available. Excitation of EBW via the mode conversion process of ordinary mode（O）-extraordinary mode（X）-electron Bernstein wave （B） is expected with the O-mode launching toward an appropriate direction. The O-X-B mode conversion rate and the region of power deposition were surveyed by varying the magnetic field strength and the launching direction. The results of the survey suggest that efficient heating in the core region is difficult by using the existing antenna. Rearrangement of the final mirror of the launching antenna may be needed.