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Ion heating in the PISCES-RF liquid-cooled high-power, steady-state, helicon plasma device

Journal Article · · Plasma Sources Science and Technology

Radio frequency (RF) driven helicon plasma sources are commonly used for their ability to produce high-density argon plasmas (n> 1019 m-3) at relatively moderate powers (typical RF power < 2 kW). Typical electron temperatures are <10 eV and typical ion temperatures are <0.6 eV. A newly designed helicon antenna assembly (with concentric, double-layered, fully liquid-cooled RF-transparent windows) operates in steady-state at RF powers up to 10 kW. We report on the dependence of argon plasma density, electron temperature and ion temperature on RF power. At 10 kW, ion temperatures >2 eV in argon plasmas are measured with laser induced fluorescence, which is consistent with a simple volume averaged 0D power balance model. 1D Monte Carlo simulations of the neutral density profile for these plasma conditions show strong neutral depletion near the core and predict neutral temperatures well above room temperatures. The plasmas created in this high-power helicon source (when light ions are employed) are ideally suited for fusion divertor plasma-material interaction studies and negative ion production for neutral beams.

Research Organization:
Univ. of California, San Diego, CA (United States); West Virginia Univ., Morgantown, WV (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Science (SC)
DOE Contract Number:
FG02-07ER54912; SC0020294
OSTI ID:
1849827
Journal Information:
Plasma Sources Science and Technology, Journal Name: Plasma Sources Science and Technology Journal Issue: 6 Vol. 30; ISSN 0963-0252
Publisher:
IOP Publishing
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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