Z. Y. Zou

Faraday-effect polarimeter-interferometer system for current density measurement on EAST.

A multichannel far-infrared laser-based POlarimeter-INTerferometer (POINT) system utilizing the three-wave technique is under development for current density and electron density profile measurements in the EAST tokamak. Novel molybdenum retro-reflectors are mounted in the inside wall for the double-pass optical arrangement. A Digital Phase Detector with 250 kHz bandwidth, which will provide real-time Faraday rotation angle and density phase shift output, have been developed for use on the POINT system. Initial calibration indicates the electron line-integrated density resolution is less than 5 × 10(16) m(-2) (∼2°), and the Faraday rotation angle rms phase noise is <0.1°.

Design of far-infrared polarimeter/interferometer system for EAST tokamak

A double-pass, radially-viewing, multichannel far-infrared (FIR) polarimeter/interferometer system is under development for current density profile and electron density profile measurements in the EAST tokamak. The system utilizes three 432.5 μm CW formic acid FIR lasers pumped by three CO2 lasers. Each of the three FIR lasers can generate high output power of more than 30 mW per cavity. Two lasers, with slight frequency offset ( ~ 1 MHz), will be made collinear with counter-rotating circular polarization in order to determine the Faraday effect by measuring their phase difference. The third laser also frequency offset, will be used as a reference providing local oscillator (LO) power to each mixer so that one can obtain the phase shift caused by the plasma electron density. Novel molybdenic retro-reflectors with shutter protection have been designed and will be mounted on the inner vessel wall in EAST. The retro-reflectors can withstand baking temperature up to 350°C and discharge duration more than 1000 s. Vibrations and path length changes due to thermal expansion will be compensated using a He-Ne interferometer as the second color. VDI planar-diode Integrated Conical Horn Fundamental Mixers optimized for high sensitivity, typical 750 V/W, will be used. Initially a five-chord system will be installed in 2013 and an eleven-chord system will be implemented on the core region of EAST plasmas. MHz frequency response allows system to resolve fast MHD events such as tearing/neoclassical tearing, disruptions and fast-particle modes. Preliminary design will be presented.

Optical layout and mechanical structure of polarimeter-interferometer system for Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak.

A Far-InfaRed (FIR) three-wave POlarimeter-INTerferometer (POINT) system for measurement current density profile and electron density profile is under development for the EAST tokamak. The FIR beams are transmitted from the laser room to the optical tower adjacent to EAST via ∼20 m overmoded dielectric waveguide and then divided into 5 horizontal chords. The optical arrangement was designed using ZEMAX, which provides information on the beam spot size and energy distribution throughout the optical system. ZEMAX calculations used to optimize the optical layout design are combined with the mechanical design from CATIA, providing a 3D visualization of the entire POINT system.

Internal magnetic field measurements by laser-based POlarimeter-INTerferometer (POINT) system on EAST

A multi-channel far-infrared laser-based POlarimeter-INTerferometer (POINT) system utilizing the three-wave technique has been implemented for fully diagnosing the internal magnetic field in the EAST tokamak. Double-pass, horizontal, radially-viewing chords access the plasma via an equatorial port. The laser source consists of three CW formic acid (HCOOH) FIR lasers at nominal wavelength 432.5 μm which are optically pumped by independent infrared CO2 lasers. Output power is more than 30 mW of per cavity. Novel molybdenum retro-reflectors, can with withstand baking temperature up to 350°C and discharge duration more than 1000 s, are mounted in the inside wall for the double-pass optical arrangement. A Digital Phase Detector with 250 kHz bandwidth, which provide real-time Faraday rotation angle and density phase shift output for plasma control, have been developed for the POINT system. Reliability of both polarimetric and interferometric measurement are obtained in 22 s long pulse H mode discharge and 8 s NBI H mode discharge, indicating the POINT system works for any heating scheme on EAST so far. The electron line-integrated density resolution of POINT is less than 1 × 1016 m−2 (< 1°), and the Faraday rotation angle rms phase noise is < 0.1°. With the high temporal (~ 1 μsec) and phase resolution (< 0.1°), perturbations associated with the sawtooth cycle and MHD activity have been observed. The current profile, density profile and safety factor (q) profile are reconstructed by using EFIT code from the external magnetic and the validation POINT data. Realtime EFIT with Faraday angle and density phase shift constraints will be implemented in the plasma control system in the future.

Initial measurements of plasma current and electron density profiles using a polarimeter/interferometer (POINT) for long pulse operation in EAST (invited)

A double-pass, radially viewing, far-infrared laser-based POlarimeter-INTerferometer (POINT) system utilizing the three-wave technique has been implemented for diagnosing the plasma current and electron density profiles in the Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST). POINT has been operated routinely during the most recent experimental campaign and provides continuous 11 chord line-integrated Faraday effect and density measurement throughout the entire plasma discharge for all heating schemes and all plasma conditions (including ITER relevant scenario development). Reliability of both the polarimetric and interferometric measurements is demonstrated in 25 s plasmas with H-mode and 102 s long-pulse discharges. Current density, safety factor (q), and electron density profiles are reconstructed using equilibrium fitting code (EFIT) with POINT constraints for the plasma core.

Effects of stray lights on Faraday rotation measurement for polarimeter-interferometer system on EAST

A double-pass radially view 11 chords polarimeter-interferometer system has been operated on the experimental advanced superconducting tokamak and provides important current profile information for plasma control. Stray light originating from spurious reflections along the optical path (unwanted reflections from various optical components/mounts and transmissive optical elements such as windows, waveplates, and lens as well as the detectors) and also direct feedback from the retro-reflector used to realize the double-pass configuration can both contribute to contamination of the Faraday rotation measurement accuracy. Modulation of the Faraday rotation signal due to the interference from multiple reflections is observable when the interferometer phase (plasma density) varies with time. Direct reflection from the detector itself can be suppressed by employing an optical isolator consisting of a λ/4-waveplate and polarizer positioned in front of the mixer. A Faraday angle oscillation during the density ramping up (or down) can be reduced from 5°-10° to 1°-2° by eliminating reflections from the detector. Residual modulation arising from misalignment and stray light from other sources must be minimized to achieve accurate measurements of Faraday rotation.

Optical configuration optimization and calibration for the POINT system on EAST

Calibration of the polarimeter system is one of the key elements to determine the overall measurement accuracy. The anisotropic reflection and transmission properties of the mesh beam splitters can easily distort the polarization state of the circularly polarized beams. Using a rotating crystal quartz λ/2-waveplate to replace the plasma can effectively allow us to obtain the ratio of the measured Faraday rotation angle to the known rotation angle of the waveplate. This ratio is used to estimate the calibration factor for each chord to be accurately determined and help to minimize distortions introduced by the wire-mesh beam splitters. With the novel configuration optimization, the distortion of polarization state is effectively eliminated.

Design of vibration compensation interferometer for Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamaka)

A vibration compensation interferometer (wavelength at 0.532 μm) has been designed and tested for Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST). It is designed as a sub-system for EAST far-infrared (wavelength at 432.5 μm) poloarimeter/interferometer system. Two Acoustic Optical Modulators have been applied to produce the 1 MHz intermediate frequency. The path length drift of the system is lower than 2 wavelengths within 10 min test, showing the system stability. The system sensitivity has been tested by applying a periodic vibration source on one mirror in the system. The vibration is measured and the result matches the source period. The system is expected to be installed on EAST by the end of 2014.

Study of retro reflector array for the polarimeter-interferometer system on EAST Tokamak

In this paper, we experimentally verify the feasibility of replacing individual retro reflectors (RRs) with retro reflector array (RRA) in EAST POlarimeter/INTerferometer (POINT) system, by considering mode transformation and power wastage. Being exposed to plasma environment directly, RRs have risks of deformation, erosion and deposition. RRA is preferable because it can be installed within a smaller space and provide a gap of several centimeters for the shutter design. This protective structure can reduce the cost of device maintenance and bring down system errors. According to Helmholtz-Kirchhoff integral theorem, the optimized incident diameter for the RRA, constituted by seven hexagonal RR cells, is 40 mm in POINT system. The corresponding bench tests are carried out by measuring the propagation properties of reflected beams by plane RRA for perpendicular incidence and reflected beams by terrace RRA for oblique incidence. The experimental results illustrate that RRA can be satisfactorily applied in POINT system at the optimized incident diameter. In view of the energy wastage caused by plasma film coating, it is found that RRA has more advantages for diagnostics using shorter wavelengths, such as the case in ITER.

Non-inductive vertical position measurements by Faraday-effect polarimetry on EAST tokamak

Vertical instability control in an elongated plasma is highly desirable for a tokamak reactor. A multi-channel 694 GHz far-infrared laser-based polarimeter-interferometer system has been used to provide a non-inductive vertical position measurement in the long-pulse EAST tokamak. A detailed comparison of vertical position measurements by polarimetry and external inductive flux loops has been used to validate Faraday-effect polarimetry as an accurate high-time response vertical position sensor.