Overview of TJ-II experiments

This paper presents an overview of experimental results and progress made in investigating the role of magnetic configuration on stability and transport in the TJ-II stellarator. Global confinement studies have revealed a positive dependence of energy confinement on the rotational transform and plasma density, together with different parametric dependences for metallic and boronised wall conditions. Spontaneous and biasing-induced improved confinement transitions, with some characteristics that resemble those of previously reported H-mode regimes in other stellarator devices, have been observed. Also, magnetic configuration scan experiments have shown an interplay between magnetic structure (rationals, magnetic shear), transport and electric fields. Although the DC radial electric fields are comparable with those expected from neoclassical calculations, additional mechanisms based on neoclassical/turbulent bifurcations and kinetic effects are needed to explain the impact of magnetic topology on flows and radial electric fields. Local transport studies have demonstrated a dependence of plasma diffusivities and convective velocities on plasma density and heating power in consistency with global confinement properties. Hydrocarbon fuelling experiments in configurations with a low order rational value in the rotational transform located in the proximity of the last close flux surface (n = 4/m = 2) have shown the impurity screening properties related to the expected divertor effect. First experiments in NBI plasmas are reported. (author)