Millimeter-wave interferometry and far-forward scattering for density fluctuation measurements on LTX-β.

Abstract

The λ ≈ 1 mm (f = 288 GHz) interferometer for the Lithium Tokamak Experiment-β (LTX-β) will use a chirped-frequency source and a centerstack-mounted retro-reflector mirror to provide electron line density measurements along a single radial chord at the midplane. The interferometer is unique in the use of a single source (narrow-band chirped-frequency interferometry) and a single beam splitter for separating and recombining the probe and reference beams. The current work provides a documentation of the interferometry hardware and evaluates the capabilities of the system as a far-forward collective scattering diagnostic. As such, the current optical setup is estimated to have a detection range of 0.4 ≲ k ⊥ ≲ 1.7 cm-1, while an improved layout will extend the upper k ⊥ limit to ∼3 cm-1. Measurements with the diagnostic on LTX are presented, showing interferometry results and scattered signal data. These diagnostics are expected to provide routine measurements on LTX-β for high frequency coherent density oscillations (e.g., Alfvénic modes during neutral beam injection) as well as for broadband turbulence.