Plasma current start-up using the lower hybrid wave on the TST-2 spherical tokamak

Abstract

Non-inductive plasma current start-up, ramp-up and sustainment by waves in the lower hybrid wave (LHW) frequency range at 200 MHz were investigated on the TST-2 spherical tokamak (R0 ≤ 0.38 m, a ≤ 0.25 m, Bt0 ≤ 0.3T, Ip ≤ 0.14 MA). Experimental results obtained using three types of antenna were compared. Both the highest plasma current (Ip = 18 kA) and the highest current drive figure of merit ηCD≡n¯eIpR0/PRF=1.4×1017 A/W/m2 were achieved using the capacitively-coupled combline (CCC) antenna, designed to excite the LHW with a sharp and highly directional wavenumber spectrum. For Ip greater than about 5 kA, high energy electrons accelerated by the LHW become the dominant carrier of plasma current. The low value of ηCD observed so far are believed to be caused by a rapid loss of energetic electrons and parasitic losses of the LHW energy in the plasma periphery. ηCD is expected to improve by an order of magnitude by increasing the plasma current to improve energetic electron confinement. In addition, edge power losses are expected to be reduced by increasing the toroidal magnetic field to improve wave accessibility to the plasma core, and by launching the LHW from the inboard upper region of the torus to achieve better single-pass absorption.