Fast-wave heating and current drive scenarios for the joint european torus and international thermonuclear experimental reactors

By using ion cyclotron resonance heating (ICRH) antennas with beryllium screens and automated phasing and matching techniques, new regimes of high confinement in the Joint European Torus have been obtained releasing one of the highest thermonuclear yields with the thermal triple fusion product nD(0)τETi(0) ≈ 7.8 × 1020m−3s keV. Also, sawteeth control by minority ion current drive has been demonstrated with a view to burn control or ash removal in a reactor. Moreover, ICRH discharges with more than 70% bootstrap current have been obtained which can be used in combination with fast-wave central electron current drive in reactor steady state scenarios. The heating and current drive scenarios for the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor require operation in a large frequency range (20–60 MHz, possibly up to 85 MHz). A wide-band antenna is discussed that provides high coupling resistance at desired frequencies and it does not need a ceramic support in the immediate vicinity of the antenna.