The EAST research program aims to demonstrate steady-state long-pulse advanced high-performance H-mode operations with ITER-like poloidal configuration and RF-dominated heating schemes. Since last IAEA FEC, EAST has been upgraded with all ITER-relevant auxiliary heating and current drive systems, enabling the investigation of plasma profile control by coupling/integration of various combinations. By means of the 4.6 GHz and 2.45 GHz LHCD systems, H-mode can be obtained and maintained at relatively high density, even up to n e ~ 4.5 × 10 19 m-3 , where a current drive effect is still observed. Significant progress has been achieved on EAST, including: i). Demonstration of a steady-state scenario (fully non-inductive with V loop ~ 0.0V at high β P ~ 1.8 and high performance (H 98,y2 > 1.0) in upper single-null (ε ~ 1.6) configuration with the tungsten divertor; ii) Discovery of a stationary ELM-stable H-mode regime with 4.6 GHz LHCD; iii) achievement of ELM suppression in slowly-rotating H-mode plasma with the application of n = 1 and 2 RMPs.

The recent EAST experimental progress since the last IAEA FEC in 2016 is presented. First demonstration of >100 seconds time scale long-pulse steady-state scenario with a good plasma performance (H98(y2) ~ 1.1) and a good control of impurity and heat exhaust with the tungsten divertor has been successfully achieved on EAST using the pure RF power heating and current drive. The extended operation regimes have been obtained (βP~2.5 & βN~1.9 of using RF&NB and βP~1.9 & βN~1.5). High bootstrap current fraction up to 47% was achieved with q95~6.0-7.0. The interaction effect between the ECH and two LHW systems has been investigated for enhanced current drive and improved confinement quality. ELM suppression using the n= 2 RMPs has been achieved at q95 (≈ 3.2-3.7) with standard type-I ELMy H-mode operational window in EAST. Reduction of the peak heat flux on the divertor was demonstrated using the active radiation feedback control. An increase in the total heating power and improvement of the plasma confinement are expected using a 0-D model prediction for higher bootstrap fraction. Towards long pulse, high bootstrap current fraction operation, a new lower ITER-like tungsten divertor with active watercooling will be installed, together with further increase and improvement of heating and current drive capability.

The internal transport barrier (ITB) has been obtained in ELMy H-mode plasmas by neutron beam injection and lower hybrid wave heating on the Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST). The ITB structure has been observed in profiles of ion temperature, electron temperature, and electron density within ρ<0.5. It was also observed that the ITB formation is stepwise. Due to the ITB formation, the confinement quality H 98y2 increases from 1 to 1.1 and the normalized beta, β N , increases from 1.5 to near 2. The fishbone activity observed during the ITB phase suggests the central safety factor q(0)∼1. Transport coefficients are calculated by particle balance and power balance analysis, showing an obvious reduction after the ITB formation.