Measurement of the density of magnetized fusion plasma using microwave reflectometry

Abstract

About 25 years have elapsed since the first measurement by a FW-CW (called fast sweeping) reflectometer of the electronic density in magnetized fusion plasma. Substituting tube sources with solid-state components has resulted in a decrease of the sweeping time from the millisecond to the microsecond range. Based on voltage control oscillators and on active frequency multipliers, four profile reflectometers covering the range 33–155 GHz are in operation on Tore-Supra tokamak. Their originality is the use of one source for the launched and reference signal, although the detection is heterodyne. Indeed, a single side band modulator shifts the launched frequency ahead of frequency multipliers. With a sweeping time comparable to the plasma turbulence characteristic time the density profile is frozen. The density profile is then reliably measured with high radial and temporal resolution.