High power microwaves for plasma heating in fusion experiments: Gyrotron - Transmission system - Antenna

In the wide range of applications of microwaves in plasma physics, the field of high power millimeter waves for electron cyclotron resonance heating (ECRH), electron cyclotron current drive (ECCD), stability control and diagnostics of magnetically confined plasmas for generation of energy by controlled thermonuclear fusion is one of the most complex and challenging in the last 30 years. The prosperous development of high power gyrotron oscillators and the successful achievements in the gained output power, efficiency and mode purity since 1980 has enrolled design and installation of ECRH and ECE systems in the most major experiments for fusion plasma investigation all over the world. The state of the art of gyrotron development, the review of transmission systems on selected experiments and a resume on different launching antenna systems implemented inside of the plasma vessel are presented.