Electric Currents Induced upon Creation and Heating of Plasma by Means of Electron Cyclotron Resonance in L-2M Stellarator

• Published in: Plasma physics reports 2022-02, Vol.48 (2), p.183-192
• Main Authors: Grebenshchikov, S. E., Vasilkov, D. G., Ivanov, V. A., Sarksyan, K. A., Tereshchenko, M. A., Kharchev, N. K.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Applied Physics; Atomic; Cyclotron resonance; Diagnostic systems; Electric currents; Electron cyclotron resonance; Heating; Inductance; Magnetic fields; Magnetic induction; Magnetic resonance; Microwaves; Molecular; Optical and Plasma Physics; Physics; Physics and Astronomy; Plasma; Pulse duration; Toroidal plasmas
• ISSN: 1063-780X; 1562-6938
• DOI: 10.1134/S1063780X22020106

Results of measuring longitudinal electric current excited in the toroidal plasma of the L-2M stellarator as a result of high-power pulsed microwave heating (power of up to 600 kW, pulse duration of up to 20 ms) are presented. Microwave radiation generated by gyrotrons and at frequency of 75 GHz, the second harmonic of the electron cyclotron resonance for magnetic field with induction B = 1.34 T in the plasma-column center, was used in the experiments for creation and heating of plasma in the stellarator. Diagnostic systems of the stellarator designed for detection of changes in transverse and poloidal magnetic fields with time were used for measuring currents in plasma. It is demonstrated that the presence of ohmic-heating iron transformer in stellarator construction substantially affects the temporal dynamics of equilibrium currents due to considerable inductance of the toroidal plasma column. The magnitude of the current excited in plasma can be as high as 7 kA upon compensation of inductance of these devices.