Radiation-enhanced sublimation experiments using the sandia high-heat-flux test facility

Abstract

Measurements on the formation of hydrocarbons on plasma exposed surfaces performed by mass- and optical emission spectroscopy in TEXTOR is reported. The temperature dependence of hydrocarbon formation and the contribution of the hydrocarbon source to the CII ion densities near the limiter has been observed using a graphite limiter which is externally heatable up to 1400 K. It has been found that hydrocarbon formation occurs in a broad temperature region decreasing only for target temperatures above 1300 K and that hydrocarbons contribute to about 40% to the CII light. Strong methane release has been observed on copper and stainless steel limiters positioned at the LCFS while it is negligible on molybdenum and tungsten limiters under similar plasma edge conditions. Local transport and redeposition of molecules have been studied by gas injection of methane and silane through holes in the limiter surfaces and by local Monte Carlo calculations. Local deposition efficiencies between 4 and 7% have been measured for injected methane and silane. Monte Carlo calculations show, in general, a larger redeposition probability depending only little on local plasma parameters but significantly on the assumptions of the sticking and release properties of redeposited ions and radicals on the surface. For higher surface temperatures possible carbon release by radiation enhanced sublimation (RES) has been investigated. No increase of carbon release could be observed demonstrating that carbon release from RES is negligible under these conditions. Possible reasons for this behavior are discussed.