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Title: Development of a helicon-wave excited plasma facility with high magnetic field for plasma–wall interactions studies

Journal Article · · Plasma Science and Technology
 [1];  [1];  [2];  [1];  [1];  [3]
  1. Soochow Univ., Suzhou (People's Republic of China)
  2. Soochow Univ., Suzhou (People's Republic of China); Xi'an Jiaotong Univ., Xi'an (People's Republic of China)
  3. Princeton Plasma Physics Lab. (PPPL), Princeton, NJ (United States)

Here, the high magnetic field helicon experiment system is a helicon wave plasma (HWP) source device in a high axial magnetic field ( B0 ) developed for plasma–wall interactions studies for fusion reactors. This HWP was realized at low pressure (5 × 10–3 – 10 Pa) and a RF (radio frequency, 13.56 MHz) power (maximum power of 2 kW) using an internal right helical antenna (5 cm in diameter by 18 cm long) with a maximum B 0 of 6300 G. Ar HWP with electron density ~1018–1020 m–3 and electron temperature ~4–7 eV was produced at high B0 of 5100 G, with an RF power of 1500 W. Maximum Ar+ ion flux of 7.8 × 1023 m–2 s–1 with a bright blue core plasma was obtained at a high B0 of 2700 G and an RF power of 1500 W without bias. Plasma energy and mass spectrometer studies indicate that Ar+ ion-beams of 40.1 eV are formed, which are supersonic (~3.1c s). The effect of Ar HWP discharge cleaning on the wall conditioning are investigated by using the mass spectrometry. And the consequent plasma parameters will result in favorable wall conditioning with a removal rate of 1.1 × 1024 N2/m2h.

Research Organization:
Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL), Princeton, NJ (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE
OSTI ID:
1465683
Journal Information:
Plasma Science and Technology, Journal Name: Plasma Science and Technology Journal Issue: 8 Vol. 20; ISSN 1009-0630
Publisher:
IOPScienceCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English