Active control of amplitude and phase of high-power RF systems in EAST ICRF heating experiments

Abstract

The EAST ICRF system operating space has been extended in power and phase control with a low-level RF system for the new double-strap antenna. Then the multi-step power and periodic phase scanning experiment were conducted in L-mode plasma, respectively. In the power scanning experiment, the stored energy, radiation power, plasma impedance and the antenna's temperature all have positive responses during the short ramp-ups of PL,ICRF. The core ion temperature increased from 1 keV to 1.5 keV and the core heating area expanded from |Z|≤5cm to |Z|≤10cm during the injection of ICRF waves. In the phasing scanning experiment, in addition to the same conclusions as the previous relatively phasing scanning experiment, the superposition effect of the fluctuation of stored energy, radiation power and neutron yield caused by phasing change with dual antenna, resulting in the amplitude and phase shift, was also observed. The active control of RF output facilitates the precise control of plasma profiles and greatly benefits future experimental exploration.

Keywords

• ICRF antenna
• Transmitter
• Phase control
• Stored energy and plasma rotation