New 20-channel diagnostic for angle-resolved fast particles measurements in LHD

A new multi-channel diagnostic for fast particles has been developed and successfully tested on the Large Helical Device (LHD) during 2005-2006 experimental campaign. The number of simultaneously used channels was significantly improved from 2 to 20 channels and additional improvements for noise reduction have been made. Same time location of the diagnostic has been changed that allowed one to make measurements in a much wider range of pitch angles from perpendicular to tangential (90-160 degrees). All these improvements allow one to make time, energy, and angle-resolved measurements of charge exchange neutral particles in a single plasma discharge and to check the presence of fast particles loss-cones from LHD plasma in different heating regimes. This new diagnostic can be a very helpful and powerful tool in studying of fast particle distribution in such a complex helical plasma geometry like the one of LHD. Example data from plasma discharges are presented. (author)