Electron cyclotron resonance breakdown studies in a linear plasma system

Electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) plasma breakdown is studied in a small linear cylindrical system with four different gases — hydrogen, helium, argon and nitrogen. Microwave power in the experimental system is delivered by a magnetron at 2.45 ± 0.02 GHz in TE₁₀ mode and launched radially to have extra-ordinary (X) wave in plasma. The axial magnetic field required for ECR in the system is such that the fundamental ECR surface (B = 875.0 G) resides at the geometrical centre of the plasma system. ECR breakdown parameters such as plasma delay time and plasma decay time from plasma density measurements are carried out at the centre using a Langmuir probe. The operating parameters such as working gas pressure (1 × 10⁻⁵−1× 10⁻² mbar) and input microwave power (160–800 W) are varied and the corresponding effect on the breakdown parameters is studied. The experimental results obtained are presented in this paper.      

Characteristics of electron cyclotron resonance plasma formed by lower hybrid current drive grill antenna

A 3.7 GHz system, which is meant for LHCD experiments on ADITYA tokamak, is used for producing ECR discharge. The ECR discharge is produced by setting the appropriate resonance magnetic field of 0.13 T, with hydrogen at a fill pressure of about 5 × 10⁻⁵ Torr. The RF power, up to 10 kW (of which ∼50% is reflected back), with a typical pulse length of 50 ms, is injected into the vacuum chamber of the ADITYA tokamak by a LHCD grill antenna and is used for plasma formation. The average coupled RF power density (the RF power/a typical volume of the plasma) is estimated to be ∼5 kW/m³. When the ECR appears inside the tokamak chamber for the given pumping frequency (f = 3.7 GHz) a plasma with a density (n _e) ∼ 4 × 10¹⁶ m⁻³ and electron temperature ∼8 eV is produced. The density and temperature during the RF pulse are measured by sets of Langmuir probes, located toroidally, on either side of the antenna. H_α signals are also monitored to detect ionization. An estimate of density and temperature based on simple theoretical calculation agrees well with our experimental measurements. The plasma produced by the above mechanism is further used to characterize the ECR-assisted low voltage Ohmic start-up discharges. During this part of the experiments, Ohmic plasma is formed using capacitor banks. The plasma loop voltage is gradually decreased, till the discharge ceases to form. The same is repeated in the presence of ECR-formed plasma (RF pre-ionization), formed 10 ms prior to the loop voltage. We have observed that (with LHCD-induced) ECR-assisted Ohmic start-up discharges is reliably and repeatedly obtained with reduced loop voltage requirement and breakdown time decreases substantially. The current ramp-up rates also decrease with reduced loop voltage operation. These studies established that ECR plasma formed with LHCD system exhibits similar characteristics as reported earlier by dedicated ECR systems. This experiment also addresses the issue of whether ECR plasma formed with grill antenna exhibits similar behavior as that formed by single waveguide ECR antenna. Our experimental observations suggest that the characteristics of (LHCD system-induced) ECR-assisted Ohmic start-up discharges show similar properties, reported earlier with normal ECR-assisted Ohmic start-up discharges and hence LHCD system may be used as ECR system at reduced toroidal magnetic field for other applications like wall conditioning.      

Dynamic Simulation of the Electron Bernstein Wave Heating Under NBI Conditions in TJ–II Plasmas

In this work, we have calculated the expected properties of the Electron Bernstein Wave (EBW) heating using the O–X–B double mode conversion scenario in a plasma that evolves from Electron Cyclotron Resonance (ECR) to Neutral Beam Injection (NBI) heating in the TJ–II device. For this purpose, a transport simulation that reproduces the time evolution of a typical collapsing plasma heated by a combination of ECR and NBI power has been used. It is seen that the predicted EBW absorption depends strongly on the plasma characteristics, whose time evolution depends in turn on the heating properties. Therefore, the need of consistently computing the ray tracing and the plasma evolution is underlined. The fraction of the absorbed EBW heating power becomes very high as soon as the O mode cutoff layer appears. This guarantees the overlapping of both EBW and ECR heating, thus avoiding excessive plasma cooling when the wave cutoff is reached. The EBW power deposition profile evolves from off‐axis to a much more centred shape that persists until the radiative collapse quenches the plasma (© 2011 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Independent UHF plasma source and possibility of filling open magnetic trap

A stationary UHF plasma source, its characteristics and possibility of filling open magnetic trap with plasma injected from it have been described. Plasma is created in the source at frequency of 2400 MHz (supplied power is up to 150 W) in the electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) regime under working gas pressure 10^–5–10^–2 Torr. By changing discharge conditions one can change the injected plasma density from 10⁹ to 10¹² cm^–3, at the temperatureT _e=2–10 eV. The possibility of efficient plasma injection from the source into the open magnetic trap of various configurations is shown experimentally. Plasma characteristics in the trap are presented under various experimental conditions. It is established that plasma parameters can be easily changed in the trap.     

Microwave power coupling with electron cyclotron resonance plasma using Langmuir probe

Electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) plasma was produced at 2.45 GHz using 200–750 W microwave power. The plasma was produced from argon gas at a pressure of 2 × 10^???4 mbar. Three water-cooled solenoid coils were used to satisfy the ECR resonant conditions inside the plasma chamber. The basic parameters of plasma, such as electron density, electron temperature, floating potential, and plasma potential, were evaluated using the current–voltage curve using a Langmuir probe. The effect of microwave power coupling to the plasma was studied by varying the microwave power. It was observed that the optimum coupling to the plasma was obtained for ~ 600 W microwave power with an average electron density of ~ 6 × 10¹¹ cm^???3 and average electron temperature of ~ 9 eV.     

Plasma formation and sustainment by a multijunction grill on the CASTOR tokamak

Radiofrequency power up to 40 kW injected into the vacuum chamber of the CASTOR tokamak by a multijunction grill was used for plasma formation during the ramp-up phase of the toroidal magnetic field. When electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) appears inside the tokamak chamber for a given pumping frequency (f=1·25 GHz) a plasma with a density greater than 2×10¹⁸ m^–3 and temperatureTine=10 ÷ 40 eV is produced. The plasma is sustained at some lower value of the density during the whole RF pulse. Simultaneously, a toroidal current up to 0·2 kA is generated. The energy confinement time is estimated to be about 30 s during the ECR breakdown.It is a pleasure to acknowledge very useful discussions with Dr. R. Klíma.     

Molecular constants of LiCl(X~1Σ~+) and elastic collisions of two ground-state Cl and Li atoms at low and ultralow temperatures

Interaction potentials for LiCl(X 1 Σ +) are constructed by the highly accurate valence internally contracted mul-tireference configuration interaction in combination with a number of large correlation-consistent basis sets,which are used to determine the spectroscopic parameters (D 0,D e,R e,ω e,ω e χ e,B e and α e).The potentials obtained at the basis sets,i.e.,aug-cc-pV5Z-JKFI for Cl and cc-pV5Z for Li,are selected to study the elastic collision properties of Li and Cl atoms at the impact energies from 1.0×10 12 to 1.0×10 4 a.u.The derived total elastic cross sections are very large and almost constant at ultralow temperatures,and their shapes are mainly dominated by the s-partial wave at very low impact energies.Only one shape resonance can be found in the total elastic cross sections over the present collision energy regime,which is rather strong and obviously broadened by the overlap contributions of the abundant resonances coming from various partial waves.Abundant resonances exist for the elastic partial-wave cross sections until l=22 partial waves.The vibrational manifolds of the LiCl(X 1 Σ +) molecule,which are predicted at the present level of theory and the basis sets cc-pV5Z for Li and the aug-cc-pV5Z-JKFI for Cl,should achieve much high accuracy due to the employment of the large correlation-consistent basis sets.     

基态O和D原子的低能弹性碰撞及OD（X2Π）自由基的准确解析势与分子常数

利用CCSD（T）理论及相关一致五重基aug-cc-pV5Z构建了OD（X²Π）自由基的相互作用势, 计算了这个自由基的光谱常数D₀, D_e, R_e, ω_e, ω_eχe及B_e, 其值分别为44574,46225?eV,009702 nm, 2724923,453534和100096 cm^-1, 均与实验结果相符很好. 利用这一相互作用势, 在绝热近似下通过数值求解双原子分子核运动的径向薛定谔方程, 找到了J=0时OD（X²Π）自由基存在的全部23个振动态, 完整地求出了每一振动态的振动能级、振动经典转折点、惯性转动常数和离心畸变常数, 其值与实验结果相当一致. 在10×10^-11—10×10^-3a.u.的能量范围内研究了基态O和D原子沿OD（X²Π）势能曲线的弹性碰撞, 计算了这一碰撞的总截面和各分波截面, 分析了各分波截面对总截面的不同贡献. 结果表明: 总截面的形状主要由s分波截面决定, 尽管直到l = 12的其他分波截面均有形状共振存在, 但由于其强度较弱, 大都湮没在较强的s分波截面中. 关键词： 弹性碰撞 总截面 形状共振 光谱常数     

Coherent backscattering of electromagnetic waves in a magnetised plasma

Summary A microwave coherent backscattering experiment has been carried out on Mirabelle, a weakly ionised plasma device, with the objective of measuring the electron density fluctuation level. The experiment is a preliminary step in order to prepare the detection system for a microwave stimulated backscattering experiment. The incident electromagnetic wave is focused in front of a plane grid which excites ion acoustic or electron Bernstein waves inducing fluctuations in the plasma. The backscattering signal is collected by the launching circuit and detected by homodyne mixing. The typical ratio of the scattered power to the incident power is about 10⁻¹² and the relative density fluctuations are of the order of δn _e/n _e=10⁻³ against a background electron density ofn _e=1–5·10⁹ cm⁻³. The backscattering measurement is compared with Langmuir probe measurements. The spectral width of the backscattered signal has also been studied, by taking into account effects due to the incident wave focusing and plasma wave damping. The authors of this paper have agreed to not receive the proofs for correction     

Mode transition in magnetic pole enhanced inductively coupled argon plasmas

The electrical probe (Langmuir probe) diagnostics of different plasma parameters and operation regimes (E/H modes) of magnetic pole enhanced, inductively coupled (MaPE-ICP) argon plasmas are investigated. It is shown that uniform, high density (n _e ∼ 10¹² cm^-3) and low electron temperature (T _e ∼ 1.5 eV) plasma can be produced in low pressure argon discharges at a low power (100 W). It is found that an MaPE-ICP reactor operates in two different modes; capacitive (E mode) and inductive (H mode). No density jump or hysteresis are reported between these modes. The effect of pressure on transition power, where the mode changes from E to H mode at 20 sccm gas flow rate are studied and it is found that for all pressures tested (∼7.5 mTorr to 75 mTorr) the transition power remains same. In the inductive mode, the above plasma parameters show a smooth variation with increasing filling gas pressure at fixed power. The intensity of the emission line at 750.4 nm due to 2p ₁ → 1s ₂ (Paschen’s notation) transition, closely follows the variation of n _e with RF power and filling gas pressure. Measured electron energy probability function (EEPF) shows that electron occupation mostly changes in the high-energy tail, which enlightens close similarity of the 750.4 nm argon line to electron number density (n _e ). The behaviour of the electron energy probability function (EEPF) with regard to pressure and RF power in two operational modes is presented.     

微型电子回旋共振离子推力器离子源结构优化实验研究

微型电子回旋共振(ECR)离子推力器可满足微小航天器空间探测的推进需求. 为此, 本文开展直径20 mm的微型ECR离子源结构优化实验研究. 根据放电室内静磁场和ECR谐振区的分布特点, 研究不同微波耦合输入位置对离子源性能的影响, 结果表明环形天线处在高于ECR谐振强度的强磁场区域时, 微波与等离子体实现无损耦合, 电子共振加热效果显著, 引出离子束流较大. 根据放电室电磁截止特性, 结合微波电场计算, 研究放电容积对离子源性能的影响, 实验表明过长或过短的腔体长度会导致引出离子束流下降甚至等离子体熄灭. 经优化后离子源性能测试表明, 在入射微波功率2.1 W、氩气流量14.9 μg/s下, 可引出离子束流5.4 mA, 气体放电损耗和利用率分别为389 W/A和15%.     

A Spectrally Resolved Motional Stark Effect Diagnostic for the TJ‐II Stellarator

A spectrally resolved motional stark effect (MSE) diagnostic has been implemented for the TJ‐II stellarator to quantify the magnitude and pitch of components of the magnetic field created in this magnetic confinement device. The system includes a compact diagnostic neutral beam injector (DNBI) that provides a short pulse of accelerated neutral hydrogen atoms with an e^–1 beam radius of 2.1 cm to stimulate the Doppler‐displaced Balmer Hαs emissions, which are the basis for this diagnostic. Measurement of the wavelength separation of the Stark splitting of the Hα spectrum, as well as of the relative line intensities of its components, allow the local magnitude and direction of the internal magnetic field components to be measured at 10 positions across the plasma. The use of a DNBI extends such measurements to the electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) heated phases of plasmas while also overcoming the need for the complicated inversion techniques that are required when such measurements are performed with a heating neutral beam injector (NBI). Moreover, the use of the shot‐to‐shot technique with reproducible discharges further simplifies fits to the MSE spectra as nearby impurity spectral emission lines can be eliminated or significantly reduced. After outlining the principles of this technique and the diagnostic set‐up, magnetic field measurements made during ECR or NBI heating phases are reported for a range of magnetic configurations and are compared with vacuum magnetic field estimates in order to evaluate the capabilities and limitations of this diagnostic for the TJ‐II. (© 2015 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

On the spectrum of the hydrogen atom in an ultrastrong magnetic field

Various approaches to computing the energies of the ground state and excited levels of the hydrogen atom in an ultrastrong magnetic field B that considerably exceeds the field B _a = m _e ² e ³ c/ħ ³ ∼ 10⁹ G are considered. The effects of polarization of vacuum and anomalous magnetic moment of the electron on the position of the atomic levels are discussed. The vacuum polarization effects are negligibly weak for B < 10¹⁵ G but become significant in fields B ≫ 10¹⁶ G, in which these effects qualitatively modify the atomic spectrum in this range. The difference in the behaviors of the even and odd energy levels for B ≫ B _a is analyzed and the formulas for the energies of odd levels as a function of field B are refined.     

宽带微波馈入对于具有常规磁场构型的ECR离子源性能的提高

As clearly demonstrated at several laboratories,the performances of electron-cyclotron resonance (ECR)ion sources can be enhanced by increasing the physical sizes(volumes)of embedded ECR zones.En- larged ECR zones have been achieved by engineering the central magnetic field region of these sources so they are uniformly-distributed"volumes"in resonance with single-frequency rf power.Alternatively,the number of ECR surfaces in conventional minimum-B geometry sources can be increased by heating their plasmas with multiple,discrete frequency microwave radiation.Broadband rf power offers a simple,low cost and arguably more effective means for increasing the physical sizes of the ECR zones within the latter source type.In this article,theoretical arguments are made in support of the volume effect and the charge-state enhancing ef- fects of broadband microwave radiation(bandwidth:200MHz)plasma heating are demonstrated by comparing the high-charge-states of Ar ion beams,produced by powering a conventional minimum-B geometry,6.4GHz ECR ion source,equipped with a biased disk,with those produced by conventional bandwidth(bandwidth:～1.5MHz)radiation.     

Stimulated brillouin scattering of electromagnetic ion cyclotron waves in a plasma

Using the fluid model for the nonlinear response of ions, we have studied the nonlinear scattering of an electromagnetic ion cyclotron wave off the ion acoustic wave in a plasma. The low frequency nonlinearity arises through the parallel ponderomotive force on ions and the high frequency nonlinearity arises through the nonlinear current density of ions. For a typical nonisothermal plasma (T _e/T _i∼10) the threshold for this instability in a uniform plasma is ∼1mW/cm². At power densities ≳10² W/cm², the growth rate for backscatter turns out to be ∼10⁴s⁻¹.     

Production of electron-positron pairs by a photon propagating in a strongly magnetized thermal bath

The production of electron-positron pairs by a photon propagating in a thermal bath in both zero and strong (B ≫ 4.41 × 10¹³ G) magnetic fields has been considered. The mean free path has been calculated for the high-energy photon propagating through a thermodynamically equilibrium photon gas along the magnetic field lines so that the γ → e ⁻ e ⁺ decay is kinematically forbidden. It has been shown that the strong magnetic field suppresses the probability of the γγ′ → e ⁻ e ⁺ process. The analyzed process can be useful for analysis of possible mechanisms of the generation of the e ⁻ e ⁺ plasma in the regions of the polar caps of magnetars.     

A Report on H mode in Magnetic Pole Enhanced Inductively Coupled Nitrogen Plasmas

The properties of low pressure magnetic pole enhanced, inductively coupled nitrogen plasma were studied by using electrical probe (Langmuir probe) under the conditions of RF powers in the range of 50‐220 W and pressures of 15‐75 mTorr. The electron energy probability function (EEPF) and electron density (n_e) obtained from the RF compensated Langmuir probe was compared with the theoretical results. The theoretical fits of the EEPF shows that the shapes of EEPF are evolved from generalised distribution to Maxwellian distribution function. It was also observed that at a low power (50 W) the discharge remains in inductive (H‐mode) mode for all the pressures (15‐75 mTorr). At a higher pressure and relatively low RF power, the measured EEPF show a hole near 3eV of energy. The intensities of the emission lines at 337.1nm (Second Positive System) and 391.4 nm (First Negative System) due to C³Π_u → B³Π_g and B²$\textstyle \sum_u^+$ → X² $\textstyle \sum_g^+$ transitions respectively, closely follows the variation of n_e with RF power and filling gas pressure. The stability of the H mode was also investigated using skin depth. Electron temperature and plasma potential indicate that the discharge at higher power (above 50 W) almost remain in H mode. (© 2013 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

The B 2Σ+–X 2Σ+ Transition of 12C17O+: The 2‐υ″ Progression

Abstract

Three new bands of the B ²Σ⁺–X ²Σ⁺ system of ¹²C¹⁷O⁺ have been investigated using conventional spectroscopic techniques. The spectra were observed in a graphite hollow‐cathode lamp by discharging molecular oxygen (enriched in about 45% of the ¹⁷O₂ isotope) under 1.0 Torr pressure. The rotational analysis of the 2–4, 2–5, and 2–6 bands was performed with the effective Hamiltonian of Brown (Brown et al., J. Mol. Spectrosc. 1979; 74: 294–318). Molecular constants were derived from a merge calculation, including both the current wavenumbers and the spectroscopic data published by the authors previously. The principal equilibrium constants for the ground state of ¹²C¹⁷O⁺ are ω_e=2185.9658(84), ω_e x _e = 14.7674(11), B _e=1.927001(38), α_e=1.8236(22)×10^?2, γ_e=?0.331(28)×10^?4, D _e=6.041(12)×10^?6, β_e=0.100(31)×10^?7 cm^?1, and the equilibrium constants for the excited state are σ_e=45876.499(15), ω_e=1712.201(12), ω_e x _e=27.3528(39), B _e=1.754109(35), α_e=2.8706(57)×10^?2, γ_e = ?1.15(19)×10^?4, D _e=7.491(20)×10^?6, β_e=2.13(12)×10^?7, γ_e = 2.0953(97)×10^?2, and α_γe=?9.46(59)×10^?4 cm^?1, respectively. Rydberg–Klein–Rees potential energy curves were constructed for the B ²Σ⁺ and X ²Σ⁺ states of this molecule, and Franck–Condon factors were calculated for the vibrational bands of the B–X system.     

Characterization of microwave plasma generated in inhomogeneous magnetic field

The paper is devoted to the investigation of the electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) discharge in the decreasing magnetic field in the pressure range from 0.02 Pa to 90 Pa and the absorbed microwave power from 50 W to 400 W. For a discharge characterization we used the floating potentialU _fl and the saturated ion current densityi _sat ⁺ . The influence of the substrate holder presence on the plasma microparameters was studied. It was shown that for the substrate holder located near ECR at pressures below 0.3 Pa mainly the magnitude ofU _fl strongly depends on the pressurep, the absorbed microwave powerP _a, and the position of the substrate holder with respect to ECR. The values ofU _fl in the plasma in which the substrate holder is inserted strongly differ from those in the plasma without the substrate holder.U _fl of low pressuresp<0.05 Pa achieves high positive values of about +50 V and this results in sputtering of chamber walls.