Effects of ion temperature on detached plasma formation using a linear divertor simulator TPDsheet-U

Abstract

The effect of ion cyclotron resonance heating (ICRH) on the detached plasma formation process was investigated using a linear divertor simulator, TPDsheet-U. We measured the stored energy (ion temperature), electron temperature, electron density, and Balmer series emission intensity ratio of the plasma while increasing the ICRH RF power from 0 to 400 W. It was observed for the first time that the electron temperature of detached plasma increased and the Balmer series emission intensity ratio became smaller when the ion temperature was increased by applying a resonance frequency ωRF, which is about 1.2 times the ion cyclotron frequency ωci of hydrogen ions. This suggests that increasing the ion temperature causes a transition from a detached plasma to an attached plasma.