Lower hybrid current drive in the PLT tokamak

Order of magnitude improvements in the level and duration of current driven by lower hybrid waves have been achieved in the PLT tokamak. Steady currents up to 175 kA have been maintained for three seconds and 400 kA for 0.3 sec by the rf power alone. The principal current carrier appears to be a high energy (approx. 100 keV) electron component, concentrated in the central 20 to 40 cm diameter core of the 80 cm PLT discharge