Using High-Power Gyrotrons in the T-10 Tokamak

Abstract

In this work, we briefly review the T-10 tokamak experiments on the interaction of microwaves with the plasma in the electron-cyclotron resonance frequency range. The basic results on the electron-cyclotron heating and the noninductive current generation in the plasma at both the first and second cyclotron harmonics are presented along with the typical values of the heating and current-generation efficiencies. The possibility of using the local contribution of the high-frequency power to control the sawtooth-oscillation instability and the amplitudes of the neoclassical tearing modes is demonstrated. Using the injection of the high-frequency waves for the working-gas preionization, allows one to optimize both the breakdown phase in the absence of a rotational electric field and the discharge-current increase stage.