V-band Doppler backscattering diagnostic in the TCV tokamak

Abstract

A variable configuration V-band heterodyne Doppler back-scattering diagnostic has been recently made operational in the tokamak configuration variable. This article describes the hardware setup options, flexible quasi-optical launcher antenna, data-analysis techniques, and first data. The diagnostic uses a fast arbitrary waveform generator as the main oscillator and commercial vector network analyzer extension modules as the main mm-wave hardware. It allows sweepable single or multi-frequency operation. A flexible quasi-optical launcher antenna allows 3D poloidal (10°-58°) and toroidal (-180° to 180°) steering of the beam with 0.2° accuracy. A pair of fast HE miter-bend polarizers allow flexible coupling to either O or X mode and programmable polarization changes during the shot. These have been used to measure the magnetic-field pitch angle in the edge of the plasma by monitoring the backscattered signal power. Ray-tracing simulations reveal an available k range between 3 and 16 cm with a resolution of 2-4 cm. Perpendicular rotation velocity estimates compare well against ExB plasma poloidal rotation estimates from charge exchange recombination spectroscopy.

Review of Advanced Implementation of Doppler Backscattering Method in Globus-M

“…A comparison of neoclassical calculations for the radial electric field and DBS data was made, which showed a good agreement between the two methods for different modes of operation of the tokamak. The TCV tokamak used a heterodyne V-band Doppler backscattering diagnostic system [12]. The first results show that the perpendicular rotational velocities obtained with DBS are consistent with the estimates of the poloidal rotation obtained from the charge exchange recombination spectroscopy diagnostics.…”

Application of Dual Frequency Comb Method as an Approach to Improve the Performance of Multi-Frequency Simultaneous Radiation Doppler Radar for High Temperature Plasma Diagnostics

“…The example of the frequency spectrum of the observed scattered signal is shown in Figure 11a. This spectrum is obtained by performing FFT processing on 2 22 (=4,194,304) data points of the Mixer 3 output signal, collected by a wideband digital oscilloscope. Some visible peaks in the figure correspond to the injected frequency comb components.…”

“…Since electromagnetic waves in the millimeter-wave range can be used in relation to the electron plasma frequency and the electron cyclotron frequency range, the system is expected to be used as a stable and robust measurement method, and is also expected to be used in future nuclear burning fusion reactors. In fusion plasma research, this Doppler radar is called a Doppler reflectometer or a Doppler back-scattering and has been applied to various experimental devices around the world, such as helical/stellarators (Wendelstein 7-AS [1,2], 7-X [3], TJ-II [4], LHD [5][6][7][8]), tokamaks (Tuman-3M [9], ASDEX Upgrade [10][11][12][13], Tore Supra [14,15], DIII-D [16,17], JT-60U [18], MAST [19], JET [20], HL-2A [21], TCV [22], EAST [23][24][25]), and linear machines (C-2 FRC [26], GAMMA-10 [27]). In particular, in recent years, systems capable of simultaneous multi-frequency observation have been developed with the aim of understanding the instantaneous spatial structure of turbulence [6][7][8]13,17,[21][22][23][24][25].…”

“…In fusion plasma research, this Doppler radar is called a Doppler reflectometer or a Doppler back-scattering and has been applied to various experimental devices around the world, such as helical/stellarators (Wendelstein 7-AS [1,2], 7-X [3], TJ-II [4], LHD [5][6][7][8]), tokamaks (Tuman-3M [9], ASDEX Upgrade [10][11][12][13], Tore Supra [14,15], DIII-D [16,17], JT-60U [18], MAST [19], JET [20], HL-2A [21], TCV [22], EAST [23][24][25]), and linear machines (C-2 FRC [26], GAMMA-10 [27]). In particular, in recent years, systems capable of simultaneous multi-frequency observation have been developed with the aim of understanding the instantaneous spatial structure of turbulence [6][7][8]13,17,[21][22][23][24][25]. When observing turbulence in torus plasmas with this Doppler reflectometer, an ordinary or extraordinary wave is injected into the magnetic confined plasma, and the back-scattered wave from the vicinity of the cut-off position corresponding to the injecting frequency is observed, so the measurement position can be changed by changing the frequency.…”

“…In other words, a simple measurement system using a single source can extract a broad frequency component and achieve high spatial and temporal resolution at the same time. A frequency comb is a signal with periodic peak frequency components and utilizes oscillation from a single source such as a non-linear transmission line (NLTL) or step recovery diode (SRD), as shown in Figure 2, or comb-like frequency component radiation using a multiplier [13,[21][22][23][24][25].…”