Fusion product studies via fast ion D–D and D– 3 He fusion on JET

• Published in: Nuclear fusion 2016-11, Vol.56 (11), p.112021
• Main Authors: Sharapov, S.E., Hellsten, T., Kiptily, V.G., Craciunescu, T., Eriksson, J., Fitzgerald, M., Girardo, J.-B., Goloborod’ko, V., Hellesen, C., Hjalmarsson, A., Johnson, T., Kazakov, Y., Koskela, T., Mantsinen, M., Monakhov, I., Nabais, F., Nocente, M., Perez von Thun, C., Rimini, F., Santala, M., Schneider, M., Tardocchi, M., Tsalas, M., Yavorskij, V., Zoita, V.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 0029-5515; 1741-4326
• DOI: 10.1088/0029-5515/56/11/112021

Dedicated fast ion D–D and D– 3 He fusion experiments were performed on JET with carbon wall (2008) and ITER-like wall (2014) for testing the upgraded neutron and energetic ion diagnostics of fusion products. Energy spectrum of D–D neutrons was the focus of the studies in pure deuterium plasmas. A significant broadening of the energy spectrum of neutrons born in D–D fast fusion was observed, and dependence of the maximum D and D–D neutron energies on plasma density was established. Diagnostics of charged products of aneutronic D– 3 He fusion reactions, 3.7 MeV alpha-particles similar to those in D–T fusion, and 14.6 MeV protons, were the focus of the studies in D– 3 He plasmas. Measurements of 16.4 MeV gamma-rays born in the weak secondary branch of D( 3 He, γ ) 5 Li reaction were used for assessing D– 3 He fusion power. For achieving high yield of D–D and D– 3 He reactions at relatively low levels of input heating power, an acceleration of D beam up to the MeV energy range was used employing 3rd harmonic ( f = 3 f C D ) ICRH technique. These results were compared to the techniques of D beam injection into D– 3 He mixture, and 3 He-minority ICRH in D plasmas.