Recent developments on the 110 GHz electron cyclotron installation on the DIII-D tokamak

Abstract

Significant improvements are being implemented to the capability of the 110 GHz electron cyclotron system on the DIII-D tokamak. Chief among these is the addition of the fifth and sixth 1 MW class gyrotrons, increasing the power available for auxiliary heating and current drive by nearly 60%. These tubes use artificially grown diamond r.f. output windows to obtain high power with long pulse capability. The beams from these tubes are nearly Gaussian, facilitating coupling to the waveguide. A new fully articulating dual launcher capable of high speed spatial scanning has been designed and tested. The launcher has two axis independent steering for each waveguide. The mirrors can be rotated at up to 100°/s. A new feedback system linking the DIII-D Plasma Control System (PCS) with the gyrotron beam voltage waveform generators permits real-time feedback control of some plasma properties such as electron temperature. The PCS can use a variety of plasma monitors to generate its control signal, including electron cyclotron emission and Mirnov probes. Electron cyclotron heating and electron cyclotron current drive were used during this year's DIII-D experimental campaign to control electron temperature, density, and q profiles, induce an ELM-free H-mode, and suppress the m=2/ n=1 neoclassical tearing mode. The new capabilities have expanded the role of EC systems in tokamak plasma control.