Ion cyclotron range of frequency experiments in the Tokamak Fusion Test Reactor with fast waves and mode converted ion Bernstein waves

Abstract

Recent experiments in the ion cyclotron range of frequencies (ICRF) in the Tokamak Fusion Test Reactor [Fusion Technol. 21, 13 (1992)] are discussed. These experiments include mode conversion heating and current drive, fast wave current drive, and heating of low (L)- mode deuterium–tritium (D–T) plasmas in both the hydrogen minority and second harmonic tritium regimes. In mode conversion heating, a central electron temperature of 10 keV was attained with 3.3 MW of radio-frequency power. In mode conversion current drive experiments, up to 130 kA of current was noninductively driven, on and off axis, and the current profiles were modified. Fast wave current drive experiments have produced 70–80 kA of noninductively driven current. Heating of L-mode deuterium and D–T plasmas by hydrogen minority ICRF has been compared. Finally, heating of L-mode D–T plasmas at the second harmonic of the tritium cyclotron frequency has been demonstrated.