Measures against the damage of the antenna mouth of JT-60U LHRF system

In JT-60U, the study of current drive by radio-frequency (RF) waves in lower hybrid range of frequency (LHRF) has been done as one of research and development works aiming at steady state operation of tokamaks. The main subject of hardware and technology development in this study is to develop a high power LHRF antenna, the main component of the system. The LHRF antenna is set closely to plasma to efficiently inject RF power into it. The LHRF antenna normally receives heat loads from the plasma, and it is required to inject high RF power. Then it has become a problem that the antenna mouth was melted by excessive heat loads from plasma or it was melted and deformed by RF discharges. As a counter measurement against this, the LHRF antenna has been conditioned to improve its stand-off voltage capability. Furthermore, by monitoring the temperature of the LHRF antenna, adjusting its position, developing a injection method of power modulation even for current drive, and setting an arc sensor which picks up the FR discharge, the damage of the antenna mouth has been suppressed. (author)