We describe a new technique for efficient generation of high-energy ions with electromagnetic ion cyclotron waves in multi-ion plasmas. The discussed 'three-ion' scenarios are especially suited for strong wave absorption by a very low number of resonant ions. To observe this effect, the plasma composition has to be properly adjusted, as prescribed by theory. We demonstrate the potential of this technique on the world-largest plasma magnetic confinement device JET (Joint European Torus, Culham, UK) and the high magnetic field tokamak Alcator C-Mod (MIT, USA). The obtained results demonstrate efficient acceleration of 3 He ions to high energies in dedicated hydrogen-deuterium mixtures. Simultaneously, effective plasma heating is observed, as a result of the slowing-down of the fast 3 He ions. The developed technique is not only limited to laboratory plasmas, but can also be applied to explain observations of energetic ions in space plasma environments, in particular, 3 He-rich solar flares.Accepted version of the paper published in Nature Physics (2017) http://dx

Electron-Bernstein waves (EBW) were excited in the plasma by mode converted extraordinary (X) waves launched from the high field side of the COMPASS-D tokamak at different toroidal angles. It has been found experimentally that X-mode injection perpendicular to the magnetic field provides maximum heating efficiency. Noninductive currents of up to 100 kA were found to be driven by the EBW mode with countercurrent drive. These results are consistent with ray tracing and quasilinear Fokker-Planck simulations.

Dedicated experiments were conducted in mixed H-D plasmas in JET to demonstrate the efficiency of the 3-ion ICRF scheme for plasma heating, relying on injected fast NBI ions as resonant ion species. Strong core localization of the RF power deposition in the close vicinity of the ion-ion hybrid layer was achieved, resulting in an efficient plasma heating, generation of energetic D ions, strong enhancement of the neutron rate and observation of Alfvénic modes. A consistent physical picture that emerged from a range of fast-ion measurements at JET, including neutron and gamma-ray measurements, a high-energy neutral particle analyzer and MHD mode localization analysis, is presented. The possibility to moderate the fast-ion energies with the ratio PICRF/PNBI and the choice of the NBI injectors is demonstrated. An outlook of possible applications of the 3-ion schemes, including a recent example of its use in mixed D-3 He plasmas in JET and promising schemes for D-T plasmas, are presented.