C. W. Domier

Theory and experiment of a 94 GHz gyrotron traveling-wave amplifier

Experimental results are presented on the first W-band gyrotron Traveling-Wave Tube (gyro-TWT) developed to exploit the 94 GHz atmospheric window for long-range, high-resolution radar applications. The gyro-TWT is designed to operate in the higher order TE01 mode and is driven by a 100 kV, 5 A electron beam with a pitch angle of v⊥/vz=1 and velocity spread of Δvz/vz=5%. Large-signal simulations predict 140 kW output power at 92 GHz with 28% efficiency, 50 dB saturated gain, and 5% bandwidth. The stability of the amplifier against spurious oscillations has been checked with linear codes. To suppress the potential gyro-BWO interactions involving the TE02, TE11, and TE21 modes, the interaction circuit with a cutoff frequency of 91 GHz has been loaded with loss so that the single-path, cold-circuit attenuation is 90 dB at 93 GHz. A coaxial input coupler with 3% bandwidth is employed with a predicted and measured coupling of 1 dB and 2 dB, respectively. The operating voltage is limited to below 75 kV because o...

Simultaneous microwave imaging system for density and temperature fluctuation measurements on TEXTOR (invited)

Diagnostic systems for fluctuation measurements in plasmas are, of necessity, evolving from simple one-dimensional (1D) systems to multidimensional systems due to the complexity of the magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) and turbulence physics of plasmas as illustrated by advanced numerical simulations. Using the recent significant advancements in millimeter wave imaging technology, microwave imaging reflectometry (MIR) and electron cyclotron emission imaging (ECEI), simultaneously measuring density and temperature fluctuations, have been developed for Toroidal EXperiment for Technology Oriented Research (TEXTOR). The MIR system was installed on Textor and the experiment was performed in September, 2003. Subsequent MIR campaigns have yielded poloidally resolved spectra and assessments of poloidal velocity. The 2D ECE imaging system (with a total of 128 channels), installed on TEXTOR in December, 2003, successfully captured the first true 2D images of Te fluctuations of m=1 oscillations (“sawteeth”) near the q∼1 su...

Development of KSTAR ECE imaging system for measurement of temperature fluctuations and edge density fluctuations.

The ECE imaging (ECEI) diagnostic tested on the TEXTOR tokamak revealed the sawtooth reconnection physics in unprecedented detail, including the first observation of high-field-side crash and collective heat transport [H. K. Park, N. C. Luhmann, Jr., A. J. H. Donné et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 96, 195003 (2006)]. An improved ECEI system capable of visualizing both high- and low-field sides simultaneously with considerably better spatial coverage has been developed for the KSTAR tokamak in order to capture the full picture of core MHD dynamics. Direct 2D imaging of other MHD phenomena such as tearing modes, edge localized modes, and even Alfvén eigenmodes is expected to be feasible. Use of ECE images of the optically thin edge region to recover 2D electron density changes during L/H mode transitions is also envisioned, providing powerful information about the underlying physics. The influence of density fluctuations on optically thin ECE is discussed.

Commissioning of electron cyclotron emission imaging instrument on the DIII-D tokamak and first data.

A new electron cyclotron emission imaging diagnostic has been commissioned on the DIII-D tokamak. Dual detector arrays provide simultaneous two-dimensional images of T(e) fluctuations over radially distinct and reconfigurable regions, each with both vertical and radial zoom capability. A total of 320 (20 vertical×16 radial) channels are available. First data from this diagnostic demonstrate the acquisition of coherent electron temperature fluctuations as low as 0.1% with excellent clarity and spatial resolution. Details of the diagnostic features and capabilities are presented.

2D electron cyclotron emission imaging at ASDEX Upgrade (invited)

The newly installed electron cyclotron emission imaging diagnostic on ASDEX Upgrade provides measurements of the 2D electron temperature dynamics with high spatial and temporal resolution. An overview of the technical and experimental properties of the system is presented. These properties are illustrated by the measurements of the edge localized mode and the reversed shear Alfvén eigenmode, showing both the advantage of having a two-dimensional (2D) measurement, as well as some of the limitations of electron cyclotron emission measurements. Furthermore, the application of singular value decomposition as a powerful tool for analyzing and filtering 2D data is presented.

Microwave imaging reflectometer for TEXTOR (invited)

Understanding the behavior of fluctuations in magnetically confined plasmas is essential to the advancement of turbulence-based transport physics. Though microwave reflectometry has proven to be an extremely useful and sensitive tool for measuring small density fluctuations in some circumstances, this technique has been shown to have limited viability for large amplitude, high kθ fluctuations and/or core measurements. To this end, a new instrument based on two-dimensional imaging reflectometry has been developed to measure density fluctuations over an extended plasma region in the TEXTOR tokamak. This technique is made possible by collecting an extended spectrum of reflected waves with large-aperture imaging optics. Details of the imaging reflectometry concept, as well as technical details of the TEXTOR instrument, are presented. Data from proof-of-principle experiments on TEXTOR using a prototype system is presented, as well as results from a systematic off-line study of the advantages and limitations of...

Fluctuation measurements in tokamaks with microwave imaging reflectometry

To study the mechanism of anomalous transport in tokamaks requires the use of sophisticated diagnostic tools for the measurement of short-scale turbulent fluctuations. In this article, we describe an attempt at developing a technique capable of providing a comprehensive description of plasma fluctuations with k⊥ρi<1, such as those driven by the ion temperature gradient mode in tokamaks. The proposed method is based on microwave reflectometry, and stems from a series of numerical calculations showing that the spatial structure of fluctuations near the cutoff could be obtained from the phase of reflected waves when these are collected with a wide aperture optical system forming an image of the cutoff onto an array of phase sensitive detectors. Preliminary measurements with a prototype apparatus on the Torus Experiment for Technology Oriented Research 94 (TEXTOR-94) [U. Samm, Proceedings of the 16th IEEE Symposium on Fusion Engineering, 1995 (IEEE, Piscataway, NJ, 1995), p. 470] confirm the validity of these...

Electron cyclotron emission imaging diagnostic system for Rijnhuizen Tokamak Project

A 16-channel electron cyclotron emission (ECE) imaging diagnostic system has been developed and installed on the Rijnhuizen Tokamak Project for measuring plasma electron cyclotron emission with a temporal resolution of 2 μs. The high spatial resolution of the system is achieved by utilizing a low cost linear mixer/receiver array. Unlike conventional ECE diagnostics, the sample volumes of the ECE imaging system are aligned vertically, and can be shifted across the plasma cross-section by varying the local oscillator frequency, making possible 2D measurements of electron temperature profiles and fluctuations. The poloidal/radial wavenumber spectra and correlation lengths of Te fluctuations in the plasma core can also be obtained by properly positioning the focal plane of the imaging system. Due to these unique features, ECE imaging is an ideal tool for plasma transport study. Technical details of the system are described, together with preliminary experimental results.

Novel low-loss delay line for broadband phased antenna array applications

The microwave propagation velocity along a nonlinear transmission line is a function of dc bias, hence, a nonlinear transmission line (NLTL) can be utilized as a broadband delay line. A hybrid NLTL has been fabricated in a proof-of-principle experimental concept test where a 1.1-ns true time delay with <4-dB insertion loss has been measured in good agreement with theory. A 2/spl times/2 NLTL-based antenna array has been utilized to demonstrate beam steering at 5 GHz. Using parameters appropriate to varactors tested by our group at 60 GHz, a monolithic NLTL is predicted to exhibit <3.4-dB insertion loss and 200 ps delay at 20 GHz.

ECE imaging of electron temperature and electron temperature fluctuations (invited)

Electron cyclotron emission imaging (ECE imaging or ECEI) is a novel plasma diagnostic technique for the study of electron temperature profiles and fluctuations in magnetic fusion plasma devices. Instead of a single receiver located in the tokamak midplane as in conventional ECE radiometers, ECEI systems utilize large diameter imaging optics coupled with planar millimeter-wave imaging arrays to form multichannel ECE diagnostics with excellent spatial resolution. Combined with specially designed imaging optics, the use of these compact, low cost arrays has resulted in the excellent spatial resolution of the ECEI systems, the unique capability of two-dimensional measurements, and flexibility in the measurement of plasma fluctuations. Technical details and principles of this emerging diagnostic technique are described in this article. Illustrative experimental results are presented, together with a discussion of the further development of the diagnostic.