Propagation and absorption of electron Bernstein waves in the linear device FLiPS

In overdense plasmas the O-mode encounters a O-cutoff before being able to deposit its energy at ω_ce. In order to overcome this issue heating of the plasma by Bernstein waves is proposed. These electrostatic waves have no density cutoff and are strongly absorbed on harmonics of ω_ce. Their electrostatic nature leads to the fact that they cannot propagate in the vacuum and have to be created by a conversion process. A linear device FLiPS is now equipped with an R-wave axial heating system and basic plasma diagnostics. The O-X-B process is experimentally studied using an oblique injection of the O-mode. In this work we will present results of a numerical investigation of the O-X conversion process by using a full-wave time domain code and the first measurements of plasma parameters of FLiPS.