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Experimental data are presented that indicate the effect of the magnetohydrodynamic tearing mode in the Globus-M spherical tokamak on the occurrence of filamentary structures (filaments). The filaments are recorded by the Doppler backscattering method. The groups of filaments localized in the toroidal direction are discovered, the appearance of which is synchronized with the propagation of the tearing mode. Possible causes of the effect of low-frequency magnetohydrodynamic oscillations on the occurrence of filament groups are considered.

A series of experiments have been performed on the Globus-M spherical tokamak under conditions with additional plasma heating by a beam of neutral atoms at the stage of plasma current buildup. This regime allowed a region with negative magnetic shear to be formed in the inner plasma region adjacent to the magnetic axis. Under these conditions, the stability margin coefficient at the axis was greater than unity. This scenario of plasma heating leads to the transition to a regime of improved confinement with the formation of a broad temperature profile and peaked electron density profile due to the formation on internal barriers. Results of experiments and numerical simulations of transport processes using the ASTRA code are presented.

Experimental results showing evidence for the development of filaments in plasma of the Globus-M spherical tokamak have been obtained by the method of Doppler reflectometry. The correlation between the reflectometric data and results of probe measurements at the periphery of discharge in the tokamak is found. Experimental data were used to determine the rotation velocities of filaments, the moments of their appearance at the transition to improved confinement, and regions of filament formation.

The targeted plasma parameters of the compact spherical tokamak (ST) Globus-M have basically been achieved. The reasons that prevent further extension of the operating space are discussed. The operational limits of Globus-M together with an understanding of the limiting reasons form the basis for defining the design requirements for the next-step, Globus-M2. The recent experimental and theoretical results achieved with Globus-M are discussed, the operational problems and the research programme are summarized and finally, the targeted Globus-M2 parameters are presented. The magnetic field and plasma current in Globus-M2 will be increased to 1?T and 0.5?MA, respectively. The plasma dimensions will remain unchanged. With auxiliary heating at a high average plasma density, the temperatures will be in the keV range and the collisionality parameter with ?*???1 will define the operational conditions. Noninductive current drive will be a major element of the programme. The engineering design issues of Globus-M2 tokamak are discussed and the technical tokamak parameters are confirmed by thermal load and stress analysis simulations. The experimental results obtained on Globus-M2 and the limits of its performance should clarify the feasibility of an ST-based super compact neutron source.

The edge plasma of five Globus-M discharges was modeled by the B2SOLPS5.2 code. Plasma current varied in 114–198 kA range, and all discharges were in the H-mode. The modeled scrape-off layer (SOL) width appeared to be inversely proportional to the plasma current. Such a relation is observed in many other tokamaks. Heat flux to the outer divertor target and radiation power was examined for these discharges. Radiation was found to be responsible for 40% of the energy loss. Energy flux to the low outer divertor target was about 1/3 of the energy loss in the single-null low X-point discharges.

Recently a scheme for the coupling of the one-dimensional core transport code ASTRA and the two-dimensional edge transport code B2SOLPS was developed, thus providing the integrated modelling of tokamak discharge. Here, this scheme is improved by taking impurities into account and by considering a real flux surface shape using the equilibrium code SPIDER. This integrated modelling is applied to discharges of the spherical tokamak Globus-M to study the dependence of the scrape-off layer (SOL) width and divertor heat loads on the discharge power and the plasma current. Since these values, together with the magnetic field, are relatively small in Globus-M, this study can test the existing scaling against data in a wider range of tokamak operational parameters. The modelling results agree reasonably with Thomson scattering and Langmuir probe measurements and allow, in principle, the determination of the physical mechanisms responsible for the SOL structure formation. It is found that the SOL width is approximately inversely proportional to the plasma current, in agreement with existing experimental scaling, while its dependence on discharge power is found to be quite weak.

The experimental and theoretical results obtained in the last two years on the interaction of neutral particle beams and high-frequency waves with a plasma using the spherical tokamak Globus-M are discussed. The experiments on the injection of low-energy proton beam of ~300 eV directed particle energy are performed with a plasma gun that produces a hydrogen plasma jet of density up to 3 × 1022 m−3 and a high velocity up to 250 km s−1. A moderate density rise (up to 30%) is achieved in the central plasma region without plasma disruption. Experiments on high-energy (up to 30 keV) neutral beam injection into the D-plasma are analysed. Modelling results on confinement of fast particles inside the plasma column that follows the neutral beam injection are discussed. The influence of the magnetic field on the fast particle losses is argued. A neutral beam injection regime with primary ion heating is obtained and discussed. The new regime with fast current ramp-up and early neutral beam injection shows electron temperature rise and formation of broad Te profiles until the q = 1 flux surface enters the plasma column. An energetic particle mode in the range of frequencies 5–30 kHz and toroidal Alfven eigenmodes in the range 50–300 kHz are recorded in that regime simultaneously with the Te rise. The energetic particle mode and toroidal Alfven eigenmodes behaviour are discussed. The toroidal Alfven eigenmode spectrum appears in Globus-M as a narrow band corresponding to n = 1. The first experimental results on plasma start-up and noninductive current drive generation are presented. The experiments are carried out with antennae providing mostly poloidal slowing down of waves with a frequency of 920 MHz, which is higher than a lower hybrid one existing under the experimental conditions. The high current drive efficiency is shown to be high (of about 0.25 A W−1), and its mechanism is proposed. Some near future plans of the experiments are also discussed.

Experiments and simulations to achieve high values of plasma parameters at the Globus-M spherical tokamak (ST) at moderate absolute auxiliary heating power (up to 0.8 MW) and high specific heating power (up to 2–3 MW m−3) are described. Important distinguishing features are the low edge safety factor range, which is unusual for STs, 2.7 < q < 5 and small plasma–outer wall space (3–5 cm). High ion heating efficiency with neutral beam injection (NBI) was demonstrated. Results of numerical simulation of fast ion trajectories are described and fast ion generation during the NBI and ion cyclotron resonance heating is discussed. Investigations on their confinement and slowing down are also presented. Reasons for achievement of high IC heating efficiency are outlined. Reliable H-mode regime achievement is described. Transport ASTRA modelling demonstrated that during NB heated H-mode ion heat diffusivity remains neoclassical and the particle diffusion coefficient inside transport barrier decreases significantly. Analysis was performed of divertor tile and special probe surfaces after irradiation by plasma during a large number of shots (3000–10 000 shots). Mixed layer composition is measured and deuterium retention in different tokamak first wall areas is estimated. Plasma jet injection experiments with upgraded plasma jet are described. Jet penetration to the plasma centre with immediate increase of density and temperature drop is proved and analogy with pellet injection is outlined.

The composition, morphology and structure of the mixed layers deposited onto the surface (deposits) after a preliminary carboboronization procedure (B/C : H layers deposition) and subsequent plasma–wall interaction in the different areas of the Globus-M spherical tokamak have been analysed. Globus-M is almost completely covered by recrystallized graphite protection tiles (currently about 90% of its inner vessel area facing to plasma). The deposit properties were examined by different diagnostic techniques (electron probe microanalysis, scanning electron microscope, x-ray diffraction, nuclear resonance reactions, thermal desorption spectroscopy, infrared Raman scattering and secondary ion mass spectroscopy) after sample exposure to plasma during 3000–10000 tokamak pulses. It was found that deposits existed even in high flux regions (separatrix strike points). The initial composition of the protective layers formed during boronization is dramatically modified during long-term plasma–wall interaction and resulted in significant intermixing of its components with materials of the vessel interior. The properties of the layers deposited onto the surfaces intensively interacting with plasma, as well as the composition of the layers deposited in the ‘shadowed’ zones are discussed. Deuterium retention in Globus-M was estimated relying upon the data on deuterium concentrations in the deposits that were measured by different methods. It is revealed that deuterium was absorbed only in the deposits and its concentration vanished in the bulk of the tiles. Conditions of deuterium desorption are analysed and the merits of recrystallized graphite are discussed.