Measurements of ion cyclotron parametric decay of lower hybrid waves at the high-field side of Alcator C-Mod

Abstract

Ion cyclotron parametric decay instability (PDI) of lower hybrid (LH) waves is surveyed using edge Langmuir probes on the Alcator C-Mod tokamak. The measurement is carried out simultaneously at the high-field side (HFS) and low-field side (LFS) mid-plane of the tokamak, as well as in the outer divertor region. Different LH spectra are observed depending on the location of the probes and magnetic configuration in L-mode plasmas, with drift direction downward. In lower single null (LSN) plasmas, strong ion cyclotron PDI occurring at the HFS is observed for the first time. This instability is characterized by a frequency separation in sidebands corresponding to the ion cyclotron frequency (ωci) near the HFS scrape-off layer and develops with threshold-like behavior as density increases. In inner wall limited (IWL) plasmas, this HFS instability shows a higher density threshold compared with that in LSN plasmas. The pump width becomes broadened even in the absence of the sidebands. In upper single null plasmas with similar plasma parameters, ion cyclotron PDI sidebands have a frequency separation corresponding to ωci near the LFS and are weaker than those observed in the LSN and IWL plasmas. Correlation between the onset of ion cyclotron PDI and the observed loss of lower hybrid current drive efficiency (Wallace et al 2012 Phys. Plasmas 19 062505) is discussed.