Installation, integration and power tests of the new fast ECRH launcher of FTU

Highlights: ► Installation of a new plug-in real-time controlled antenna for EC waves on FTU. ► New system still compatible with the use of existing ECRH by means of switches. ► Newly developed calibration procedure for the steering equipment tested. ► Dynamic performances of the antenna tested in presence of plasma and RF power. ► Antenna integrity verified after high plasma current and magnetic field operations. -- Abstract: A new ECRH launcher mainly aimed at experiments on MHD stabilization has been recently installed in FTU and integrated with a Real Time controller. The new plug-in antenna is capable of injecting two beams over wide angular ranges, ±40° in toroidal and ±15° < θ < ∓ 44° in poloidal direction with fast mirror speed. The power is delivered to the launcher with two additional transmission lines (TL) connected to the existing ECRH system with remotely controlled switches. After the optical alignment of the TLs, a campaign of tests on the steering antenna was made with the launcher ex- and in-vessel. A procedure to calibrate the absolute mirror angular position was developed and successfully used. First high power pulses were carried out on plasma target delivering 2 × 0.3 MW EC power for 200 ms