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Recently an improved confinement regime, characterized by reduced turbulent fluctuations has been observed in the Large Helical Device upon the injection of boron powder into the plasma (Nespoli et al 2022 Nat. Phys. 18 350–56). In this article, we report in more detail the experimental observations of increased plasma temperature and the decrease of turbulent fluctuations across the plasma cross section, on an extended database. In particular, we compare powders of different materials (B, C, BN), finding similar temperature improvement and turbulence response for the three cases. Modeling of the powder penetration into the plasma and of neoclassical electric field and fluxes support the interpretation of the experimental results. Additionally, we report evidence of the temperature improvement increasing with powder injection rates and decreasing for both increasing density and heating power. Though, plasma turbulence response varies depending on the initial conditions of the plasma, making it difficult to draw an inclusive description of the phenomenon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soft x-ray tomograms are inferred from experimental data obtained during the recent operational phases of the superconducting, optimized stellarator Wendelstein 7-X. It is shown that the reconstructed soft x-ray emission profiles of the plasma are consistent with the numerically calculated magneto-hydrodynamic equilibrium of Wendelstein 7-X. In order to obtain reliable tomograms, the full chain of electrical and geometrical influences on the x-ray observation has to be taken into account. This has been achieved by formulation and application of an extended forward model. The forward model has been verified using phantom data derived from surrogate tomograms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Modulated lower hybrid waves, are injected into the Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST), to investigate the modulated evolutions of pedestal structure and unstable edge-localized modes (ELMs). The spectrum patterns of show that the ELM amplitude only slightly decreases while the ELM frequency becomes almost 3–5 times larger as the lower hybrid radio frequency (LHRF) jumps into the lower power level. Pedestal structure analysis indicates that higher LHRF power injection can increase the plasma stored energy and core plasma parameters, accompanying with the pedestal shift and gradient increase. Ion saturation contour current plots suggest that LHRF power can deposit in the plasma edge region to profoundly change the three-dimensional (3D) magnetic topology, similarly to the effect of resonant magnetic perturbations (RMPs), by inducing the helical current filaments (HCFs) following along the magnetic field lines in the scrape-off layer (SOL), which may cause the density pump-out effect by increasing the radial plasma transport. The modulated higher temperature and lower density of pedestal top-values can reduce the pedestal collisionality, which will strongly increase the bootstrap current density and gradually shift the Peeling-Ballooning mode (PBM) boundary. ELITE code stability analysis indicates that LHRF injection can lead to the relatively unstable ELMs with a higher pedestal gradient, simultaneously accompanying with the normalized pressure gradient and edge bootstrap current density increase. All of these results imply that there is a significant correlation between the ELM behavior and pedestal structure modulation because of LHRF dissipation at the plasma edge for the unstable ELM modulated case. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Controlling gas temperature via continuous monitoring is essential in various plasma applications especially for biomedical treatments and nanomaterial synthesis but traditional techniques have limitations due to low accuracy, high cost or experimental complexity. We demonstrate continuous high-accuracy gas temperature measurements of low-temperature atmospheric pressure plasma jets using a small focal spot infrared sensor directed at the outer quartz wall of the plasma. The impact of heat transfer across the capillary tube was determined using calibration measurements of the inner wall temperature. Measured gas temperatures varied from 25 °C–50 °C, increasing with absorbed power and decreased gas flow. The introduction into the plasma of a stream (∼105 s−1) of microdroplets, in the size range 12 μm–15 μm, led to a reduction in gas temperature of up to 10 °C, for the same absorbed power. This is an important parameter in determining droplet evaporation and its impact on plasma chemistry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The soft x-ray tomography diagnostic in the stellarator Wendelstein 7-X consists of twenty pinhole cameras, up–down symmetrically arranged in a poloidal, triangular cross-section of the plasma vessel. The x-ray emissivity is measured with 16 bit amplitude resolution at 2 MHz sampling rate along 360 lines-of-sight by silicon photodiode arrays. In the recent operation campaign data acquisition (DAQ) has been working reliable for the conducted plasma pulse lengths <1 min, however the DAQ system are ready for the foreseen 30 min plasma pulse lengths of upcoming campaigns. The bandwidth of the preamplifiers is ≈200 kHz and the sensitive energy range is approximately 1–12 keV. The measurements indicate the up–down symmetric emissivity distribution in the triangular poloidal cross-section. First tomographic reconstructions of different magnetic field configurations are consistent with the theoretically calculated flux surface topology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An alternative method using a machine learning (ML) algorithm is presented for the reconstruction of the plasma radiation profile (plasma radiation power profile in a poloidal cross-section) from the foil image of the infrared imaging video bolometer (IRVB). In the data analysis of the IRVB, the plasma radiation profile cannot be directly converted from the foil image of the IRVB, while the projection matrix constructing the foil image from the plasma radiation profile is easily derived from the geometric structure of the system. That is, there is no inverse matrix of the projection matrix. So, the Phillips-Thikhonov (P-T) algorithm is widely used for the reconstruction of the plasma profile. Here an alternative method is proposed, and this method directly finds the pseudo-inverse matrix of the projection matrix of the IRVB using the ML algorithm. The two algorithms have been examined in an impurity injection experiment. Our alternative algorithm is found to have advantages in the reconstruction of detailed features when compared with the P-T algorithm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wendelstein 7-X is a highly optimized stellarator that went into operation in 2015. With a 30 cubic meter volume, a superconducting coil system operating at 2.5 T, and steady-state heating capability of eventually up to 10 MW, it was built to demonstrate the benefits of optimized stellarators at parameters approaching those of a fusion power plant. We report here on the first results with the test divertor installed, during the second operation phase, which was performed in the second half of 2017. Operation with a divertor, and the addition of several new fueling systems, allowed higher density operation in hydrogen as well as helium. The effects that higher density operation had on both divertor operation and global confinement will be described. In particular, at high densities detachment was observed, and the highest fusion triple product for a stellarator was achieved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports on the effect of on- and off-axis heating power deposition on the impurity confinement in purely electron cyclotron resonance heated He plasmas on the stellarator Wendelstein 7-X. Therefore, impurity transport times τI have been determined after Fe impurity injections by laser ablations and monitoring the temporal impurity emissivities by the x-ray imaging spectrometer HR-XIS. A significant increase of τI has been observed when changing the power deposition from on- to off-axis heating with energy confinement times τE being mainly unaffected. In addition, the scaling of impurity transport properties with respect to a variation of heating power PECRH and electron density ne has been investigated by keeping the heating power deposition on-axis. The observed τI scaling compares well to known τI scaling laws observed in other machines. A comparison of τI and τE yields an averaged ratio of τE/τI = 1.3 and transport times in the range of τI = 40–130 ms and τE = 40–190 ms. Comparing those absolute values to neoclassical predictions supports the recently observed nature of anomalous transport in Wendelstein 7-X, given within the up to now investigated operational parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Optical emission spectral tomography diagnostics have been developed to measure the spatial uniformity of meter-sized processing plasmas. The lines of sight and detector location are selected based on tomographic reconstruction tests using synthetic (phantom) images. The developed collection optics system is composed of slits, a plano-convex lens, optical interference filters and photodiode arrays. Using the collection optics, the line-integrated emission intensity is acquired from a meter-sized rectangular argon plasma (inductively coupled plasma at a frequency of 13.56 MHz), which was developed for display panel manufacturing. From the measured intensity, two-dimensional (2D) spatial distributions of argon atomic line intensity (675.3 nm and 852.1 nm) are obtained via the tomographic reconstruction technique based on the Phillips–Tikhonov regularization. In addition, 2D profiles of the electron excitation temperature (Texc) are obtained from those of Ar intensity at the wavelengths 675.3 nm and 852.1 nm via two line method (in essence, a Boltzmann plot). The 2D argon plasma emission and Texc profiles match well with the shape of the electrode and etch rate profile. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The dependence of the energy confinement and energy transport on the isotope mass is a long-standing open question in the stellarator community. With the recent upgrade of the Large Helical Device to allow for deuterium plasma operation, systematic isotope experiments could be carried out for the first time in a major non-axisymmetric device. Within this framework, electron-cyclotron-resonance heated (ECRH) hydrogen and deuterium plasmas were investigated varying both density and heating power to establish a broad data set. Even at low power the central ECRH heating is sufficient to lead to stellarator-specific core-electron-root-confinement which features a peaked electron temperature profile and a positive radial electric field. For this data set, the energy confinement time and energy transport is investigated in detail and compared to the neoclassical theory. Over the whole data set, the energy confinement time of deuterium is statistically 10%–20% larger than in hydrogen indicating that the ‘isotope effect’ also exists in non-axisymmetric devices. Both the electron and ion temperature are elevated in deuterium compared to hydrogen at the same effective absorbed power and density. From a neoclassical point-of-view, the electron-root and the positive electric field extend over nearly the entire plasma radius. Good agreement is found between the measured and theoretical neoclassical ambipolar electric field. The neoclassical energy-flux can account for up to half the experimental flux implying that turbulence is responsible for a significant fraction of the entire energy-flux. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Modeling of impurity-seeded plasma in Large Helical Device is presented for the first time by using the three-dimensional transport code EMC3-EIRENE. High and low recycling coefficients for impurity ions are assumed to include low and high absorption rates on wall surfaces due to low and high chemical activity of neon and nitrogen, respectively. Radiation power measured by two bolometer systems and particle flux measured by divertor probes installed in multiple toroidal sections are utilized to determine impurity amount in the plasma. The toroidal uniformity and the non-uniformity of a divertor flux reduction observed experimentally for neon and nitrogen seeding, respectively, are reproduced by the model. Validations by measurements and deviations between the model and the experiment are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of the helically-trapped energetic-ion-driven resistive interchange modes (EICs) on energetic ion confinement is studied in the Large Helical Device deuterium plasmas. Neutron diagnostics such as the neutron flux monitor and the vertical neutron camera (VNC) are used in order to measure neutrons mainly created by beam-plasma reactions. The line-integrated neutron profiles are obtained by VNC in magnetohydrodynamic-quiet plasma with various neutral beam (NB) injection patterns. The profiles are consistent with that expected by the beam ion density calculated using orbit-following simulations. Significant decreases of the total neutron emission rate (Sn) and the neutron counting rate of the VNC (Cn) in central cords are observed to be synchronized with EIC bursts with perpendicular-NB injection. The drop rates of both Sn and Cn increase with EIC amplitude and reach around 50%. The line-integrated neutron profiles before and after EIC burst show that in the central cords, Cn decrease due to EIC burst whereas there is almost no change in the other cords. The experimental results suggests that the effect of EIC on helically-trapped beam ion is substantial, however the effect of passing beam ion is not significant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transition to an all-metal wall was realized on T-10 by replacement of graphite limiters with tungsten ones. Light impurity levels remained high and W accumulation in the plasma core was revealed. A movable lithium (Li) limiter was added to investigate the possibility of the limitation of tungsten and light impurity levels in plasma. For the first time, tokamak results on tungsten protection with Li were obtained in OH and ECRH regimes. After lithization the tungsten density in the core dropped more than an order of magnitude, while W influx into plasma decreased 2–4 times. Drastic drops of light impurities in plasma were observed together with improvement of energy confinement time and density limit values. Nevertheless, Li levels in plasma remained low in both OH and ECRH regimes. Li density in the core as low as 0.5% of ne was obtained. Tungsten transport in T-10 plasma was investigated and results on prevention of W accumulation with central ECRH were obtained. Effects of plasma exposure on ITER-grade tungsten plates from limiters were studied. Investigations of density fluctuation with correlation reflectometry confirmed a decrease of fluctuation amplitude on high field side. Modeling showed that this effect can be, to a great extent, explained by the non-locality of reflectometry. Toroidal correlations at a distance of 2.5 m along field lines were studied. Three-wave interaction between geodesic acoustic modes and broad-band turbulence was found by analysis of heavy ion beam probe diagnostics data. The possibility of plasma current control and the prevention of non-thermal electron beams formation at density limit disruption by means of ECR heating and the controlled operation of OH power supply system has been demonstrated. The study of plasma density decay after gas puff switch off during density ramp-up phase in OH regimes and the effect of ‘density pump out’ during ECRH showed that both effects can be explained by the assumption regarding electron transport growth upon reaching marginal pressure profile. A new type of internal transport barrier in the narrow zone near q  =  1 surface has been found. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Some of the key aspects of divertor detachment that are addressed by bolometry, impurity spectroscopy, hydrogen spectroscopy, and measurements of divertor target heat-flux are reviewed. Measurement requirements for these diagnostic areas are defined, and brief descriptions of the techniques used for these diagnostics are given. Examples from the literature of measurements using these tools applied to detachment are presented. Feedback control of detachment using some of these diagnostics as the ‘sensors’ is reviewed. Challenges and some future directions for these diagnostics in the context of studying divertor detachment are described. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the electron temperature (Te) dependence of 20 forbidden tungsten line intensities observed in several Large Helical Device discharges, we experimentally evaluated fractional abundance profiles for highly charged tungsten ions (W) in the charge states 23–28. Although the absolute values of the fractional abundance are still inaccessible in our method, relative profiles against Te values were evaluated. The Te values at the profile peak for q = 23, 24, 25, 26, 27 and 28 states tungsten abundance were evaluated as 0.53, 0.58, 0.65, 0.78, 0.93, and 1.14 keV, respectively. These results were ≈20% smaller than those reported by Pütterich et al (2008 Plasma Phys. Control. Fusion50 085016), which are the theoretical calculations adjusted to match the quasi-continuum emission by 24–35 tungsten ions measured in the extreme ultraviolet region, and ≈60% larger than the pure theoretical calculation by Sasaki et al (2013 J. Phys. B: At. Mol. Opt. Phys.46 175701). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The results of a first systematic assessment of plasma edge transport processes for the limiter startup configuration at Wendelstein 7-X are presented. This includes an investigation of transport from intrinsic and externally injected impurities and their impact on the power balance and limiter heat fluxes. The fully 3D coupled plasma fluid and kinetic neutral transport Monte Carlo code EMC3-EIRENE is used. The analysis of the magnetic topology shows that the poloidally and toroidally localized limiters cause a 3D helical scrape-off layer (SOL) consisting of magnetic flux tubes of three different connection lengths LC. The transport in the helical SOL is governed by LC as topological scale length for the parallel plasma loss channel to the limiters. A clear modulation of the plasma pressure with LC is seen. The helical flux tube topology results in counter streaming sonic plasma flows. The heterogeneous SOL plasma structure yields an uneven limiter heat load distribution with localized peaking. Assuming spatially constant anomalous transport coefficients, increasing plasma density yields a reduction of the maximum peak heat loads from 12 MWm−2 to 7.5 MWm−2 and a broadening of the deposited heat fluxes. The impact of impurities on the limiter heat loads is studied by assuming intrinsic carbon impurities eroded from the limiter surfaces with a gross chemical sputtering yield of 2. The resulting radiative losses account for less than 10% of the input power in the power balance with marginal impact on the limiter heat loads. It is shown that a significant mitigation of peak heat loads, 40–50%, can be achieved with controlled impurity seeding with nitrogen and neon, which is a method of particular interest for the later island divertor phase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]