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At least 361 records · Page 20

Implementation of atomic layer etching of silicon: Scaling parameters, feasibility, and profile control

Atomic or layer by layer etching of silicon exploits temporally segregated self-limiting adsorption and material removal steps to mitigate the problems associated with continuous or quasicontinuous (pulsed) plasma processes: selectivity loss, damage, and profile control. Successful implementation of atomic layer etching requires careful choice of the plasma parameters for adsorption and desorption steps. This paper illustrates how process parameters can be arrived at through basic scaling exercises, modeling and simulation, and fundamental experimental tests of their predictions. Using chlorine and argon plasma in a radial line slot antenna plasma source as a platform, the authors illustrate how cycle time, ion energy, and radical to ion ratio can be manipulated to manage the deviation from ideality when cycle times are shortened or purges are incomplete. Cell based Monte Carlo feature scale modeling is used to illustrate profile outcomes. Experimental results of atomic layer etching processes are illustrated on silicon line and space structures such that iso-dense bias and aspect ratio dependent free profiles are produced. Experimental results also illustrate the profile control margin as processes move from atomic layer to multilayer by layer etching. The consequence of not controlling contamination (e.g., oxygen) is shown to result in deposition and roughness generation.

42 ENGINEERING↗

Bulk ion heating with ICRF waves in tokamaks

Heating with ICRF waves is a well-established method on present-day tokamaks and one of the heating systems foreseen for ITER. However, further work is still needed to test and optimize its performance in fusion devices with metallic high-Z plasma facing components (PFCs) in preparation of ITER and DEMO operation. This is of particular importance for the bulk ion heating capabilities of ICRF waves. Efficient bulk ion heating with the standard ITER ICRF scheme, i.e. the second harmonic heating of tritium with or without {sup 3}He minority, was demonstrated in experiments carried out in deuterium-tritium plasmas on JET and TFTR and is confirmed by ICRF modelling. This paper focuses on recent experiments with {sup 3}He minority heating for bulk ion heating on the ASDEX Upgrade (AUG) tokamak with ITER-relevant all-tungsten PFCs. An increase of 80% in the central ion temperature T{sub i} from 3 to 5.5 keV was achieved when 3 MW of ICRF power tuned to the central {sup 3}He ion cyclotron resonance was added to 4.5 MW of deuterium NBI. The radial gradient of the T{sub i} profile reached locally values up to about 50 keV/m and the normalized logarithmic ion temperature gradients R/LT{sub i} of about 20, which are unusually large for AUG plasmas. The large changes in the T{sub i} profiles were accompanied by significant changes in measured plasma toroidal rotation, plasma impurity profiles and MHD activity, which indicate concomitant changes in plasma properties with the application of ICRF waves. When the {sup 3}He concentration was increased above the optimum range for bulk ion heating, a weaker peaking of the ion temperature profile was observed, in line with theoretical expectations.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

Critical point of the solar wind by radio sounding data

Results of the close-to-Sun plasmas sounding at the transonic region of the solar wind, where the sub-to supersonic flow transition proceeds (at 10 to 40 solar radii from the Sun), are presented. Natural sources of two types were used, water vapour maser sources at 1.35 cm and guasars at 2.9 m wavelength. scattering observations cover the period of 1986 to 1993, Russian Academy of Sciences telescopes RT-22 and DCR-1000 were used, IPS index and scattering angle being the immediate results of observations. Extensive studies of the scintillation index and scattering angle radial profiles reveal a remarkable structural detail, 'transonic region forrunner'-narrow region of diminished scattering close to the internal border of the extended transonic region with its characteristic enhanced scattering. Comparisons of the scattering and plasma velocity profiles let it possible to determine the critical point positions by the comparatively simple scattering observations. This new possibility widely improves the process of the basic data accumulation in the fundamental problem of the solar wind acceleration mechanism.

Lotova, N. A.↗

Characterization of the onset of ion cyclotron parametric decay instability of lower hybrid waves in a diverted tokamak

The goal of the lower hybrid current drive (LHCD) program on Alcator C-Mod is to develop and optimize reactor-relevant steady-state plasmas by controlling current density profile. However, current drive efficiency precipitously decreases as the line averaged density (n{sup ¯}{sub e}) increases above ∼1 × 10{sup 20} m{sup −3}. Previous simulations show that the observed loss of current drive efficiency in high density plasmas stems from the interactions of LH waves with edge/scrape-off layer plasmas [Wallace et al., Phys. Plasmas 19, 062505 (2012)]. A recent observation [Baek et al., Plasma Phys. Controlled Fusion 55, 052001 (2013)] shows that the configuration dependent ion cyclotron parametric decay instability (PDI) is excited in the density range where the discrepancy between the experiments and simulations remains. Comparing the observed spectra with the homogeneous growth rate spectra indicates that the observed ion cyclotron PDI can be excited not only at the low-field-side but also at the high-field-side (HFS) edge of the tokamak. The model analysis shows that a relevant PDI process to Alcator C-Mod LHCD experiments is decay into ion cyclotron quasi-mode driven by parallel coupling. The underlying cause of the observed onset of ion cyclotron PDI is likely due to the weaker radial penetration of the LH wave in high density plasmas, which can lead to enhanced convective growth. Configuration-dependent PDIs are found to be correlated with different edge density profiles in different magnetic configurations. While the HFS edge of the tokamak can be potentially susceptible to PDI, as evidenced by experimental observations and ray-tracing analyses, enhancing single-pass absorption is expected to help recover the LHCD efficiency at reactor-relevant densities because it could suppress several parasitic loss mechanisms that are exacerbated in multi-pass regimes.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

Spectroscopic determination of electrical conductivity in an MHD duct from absolute intensity measurements

Measurements of the electrical conductivity in the NASA Lewis cesium seeded, H2-O2 MHD duct have been previously reported. In order to corroborate the above measurements and to analyze the possibility of nonuniform seed injection as a cause of the deviations, a spectroscopic investigation of the plasma conductivity has been undertaken. Transverse profiles of the absolute integrated intensity were measured from the optically thin lines of CSI-.5664 microns and .5636 microns. Radial profiles of emission coefficient were obtained from the measured transverse profiles of intensity by Abel inversion. Radial profiles of electrical conductivity were then obtained under two different assumptions. In the first, the Cs seed fraction is assumed uniform and equal to the measured flow rate at the time when the temperature and conductivity were obtained. In the second method, the local temperature and pressure are taken to be those given by a one-dimensional channel calculation including heat transfer and friction. In this case profiles of conductivity and seed fractions are obtained. The results of the two methods are compared to the previously measured conductivity.

Wang, S. Y.↗

Challenges and approaches to interpretive modeling of boundary plasma and neutral transport in a closed, pumped divertor

An experimental discharge from the DIII-D tokamak is modeled using the SOLPS-ITER code suite and compared against measurements in the pumped and relatively closed upper divertor. Uncertainties of boundary plasma simulations are identified by attempting to match code inputs to experimental conditions, including iteratively solving transport coefficients to match upstream experimental profiles using varying quantities of core particle flux, different pumping models, and various assumptions of ion thermal transport. Simulated boundary conditions for particle injection at the core interface are shown to be relevant to the plasma solution at the divertor targets, even if upstream transport is modified so that plasma profiles are comparatively similar, although seperatrix density is not held constant. When upstream plasma profiles are matched to experimental measurements by varying diffusive transport coefficients, using either poloidally symmetric or ballooning structure, the model finds a majority of injected energy being transported radially off the computational domain, in conflict with experimental radiated power measurements and heat flux measurements at the divertor target. Imposing a maximum thermal diffusivity or radially shifting the experimental separatrix location of the fitted profiles to increase power conducted to the targets by increasing the upstream electron temperature does not significantly modify this result. Including a thermalizing plenum volume in the simulation domain is shown to maintain the experimental volumetric pumping rate without knowing the neutral energy distribution incident on the pump duct a priori. By modifying transport parameters to match different assumptions for ion temperature, downstream neutral pressure changes by more than a factor of two, suggesting that attention to ion thermal transport may be a critical parameter for simulations to accurately resolve recycling and neutral transport, particularly in a closed divertor geometry. In addition to quantifying various modeling uncertainties, this work motivates both further experimental study and modeling improvements to improve predictive capabilities.

divertor↗

Improved filters for angular filter refractometry

Angular filter refractometry is an optical diagnostic that measures the absolute contours of a line-integrated density gradient by placing a filter with alternating opaque and transparent zones in the focal plane of a probe beam, which produce corresponding alternating light and dark regions in the image plane. Identifying transitions between these regions with specific zones on the angular filter (AF) allows the line-integrated density to be determined, but the sign of the density gradient at each transition is degenerate and must be broken using other information about the object plasma. Additional features from diffraction in the filter plane often complicate data analysis. Here, in this paper, we present an improved AF design that uses a stochastic pixel pattern with a sinusoidal radial profile to minimize unwanted diffraction effects in the image caused by the sharp edges of the filter bands. We also present a technique in which a pair of AFs with different patterns on two branches of the same probe beam can be used to break the density gradient degeneracy. Both techniques are demonstrated using a synthetic diagnostic and data collected on the OMEGA EP (extended performance) laser.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗

Realization of a gas puff imaging system on the Wendelstein 7-X stellarator

A system for studying the spatiotemporal dynamics of fluctuations in the boundary of the W7-X plasma using the “Gas-Puff Imaging” (GPI) technique has been designed, constructed, installed, and operated. This GPI system addresses a number of challenges specific to long-pulse superconducting devices, such as W7-X, including the long distance between the plasma and the vacuum vessel wall, the long distance between the plasma and diagnostic ports, the range of last closed flux surface (LCFS) locations for different magnetic configurations in W7-X, and management of heat loads on the system’s plasma-facing components. The system features a pair of “converging–diverging” nozzles for partially collimating the gas puffed locally ≈135 mm radially outboard of the plasma boundary, a pop-up turning mirror for viewing the gas puff emission from the side (which also acts as a shutter for the re-entrant vacuum window), and a high-throughput optical system that collects visible emission resulting from the interaction between the puffed gas and the plasma and directs it along a water-cooled re-entrant tube directly onto the 8 × 16 pixel detector array of the fast camera. The DEGAS 2 neutral code was used to simulate the Hα (656 nm) and HeI (587 nm) line emission expected from well-characterized gas-puffs of H2 and He and excited within typical edge plasma profiles in W7-X, thereby predicting line brightnesses used to reduce the risks associated with system sensitivity and placement of the field of view. Operation of GPI on W7-X shows excellent signal-to-noise ratios (>100 at 2 Mframes/s) over the field of view for minimally perturbing gas puffs. The GPI system provides detailed measurements of the two-dimensional (radial and poloidal) dynamics of plasma fluctuations in the W7-X edge and scrape-off layer and in and around the magnetic islands outside the LCFS that make up the island divertor configuration employed on W7-X.

Instruments & Instrumentation↗

Inference of Experimental Radial Impurity Transport on Alcator C-Mod: Bayesian Parameter Estimation and Model Selection.

We present a fully Bayesian approach for the inference of radial profiles of impurity transport coefficients and compare its results to neoclassical, gyrofluid and gyrokinetic modeling. Using nested sampling, the Bayesian Impurity Transport InferencE (BITE) framework can handle complex parameter spaces with multiple possible solutions, offering great advantages in interpretative power and reliability with respect to previously demonstrated methods. BITE employs a forward model based on the pySTRAHL package, built on the success of the well-known STRAHL code [Dux, IPP Report, 2004], to simulate impurity transport in magnetically-confined plasmas. In this paper, we focus on calcium (Ca, Z=20) Laser Blow-Off injections into Alcator C-Mod plasmas. Multiple Ca atomic lines are diagnosed via high-resolution X-ray Imaging Crystal Spectroscopy and Vacuum Ultra-Violet measurements. We analyze a sawtoothing I-mode discharge for which neoclassical and turbulent (quasilinear and nonlinear) predictions are also obtained. We find good agreement in diffusion across the entire radial extent, while turbulent convection and density profile peaking are estimated to be larger in experiment than suggested by theory. Efforts and challenges associated with the inference of experimental pedestal impurity transport are discussed.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

Planar laser-induced fluorescence system for spatiotemporal ion velocity distribution function measurements

In this work, we present a planar laser-induced fluorescence (PLIF) system for measuring two-dimensional (2D), spatiotemporally resolved ion velocity distribution functions (IVDFs). A continuous-wave tunable diode laser produces a laser sheet that irradiates the plasma, and the resulting fluorescence is captured by an intensified CCD (ICCD) camera. Fluorescence images recorded at varying laser wavelengths are converted into 2D IVDFs using the Doppler shift principle. The developed diagnostic is implemented in an electron beam generated E × B plasma with a bulk plasma density of $\sim\!\!{10^{10}}{\text{c}}{{\text{m}}^{ - 3}}$ . The developed diagnostic is validated against a conventional single-point LIF method using photomultiplier tube-based detection, while significantly reducing the total measurement time by the number of spatial positions measured. The time-resolving capability of this diagnostic is tested by oscillating the plasma between two nominal operating modes with different density profiles and triggering the ICCD camera by the externally driven plasma oscillation. The measured 2D IVDF maps reveal several signatures of ion dynamics in this plasma source, including radially outflowing ions across the electric field and anomalous ion heating at the periphery, consistent with recent kinetic simulations and theoretical studies. A possible correlation between these ion kinetic features and rotating spoke structures is discussed.

E×B plasma↗

Characterization of core neutrals using passive measurements of the D α spectrum near the X -point in the DIII-D tokamak

New spectroscopic measurements of deuterium Balmer-α emission are used to infer the spatial distribution of neutral particles near the X-point in a diverted high confinement mode plasma. The charge exchange neutral spectroscopy (CENS) diagnostic—recently installed on the DIII-D tokamak—uses 15 lines of sight extending from the edge of the confined region (ρ ≈ 0.7) to the X-point in lower single-null plasmas. Each CENS line of sight is spectrally resolved around the deuterium Balmer-α wavelength (6561 Å) to measure the Doppler shift, line broadening, and intensity of Dα emission. Thermal line broadening is used to identify emission from neutrals undergoing charge-exchange (CX) with high temperature ions in the confined plasma. This spectral information allows a more accurate determination of the neutral density deeper inside the confined plasma compared to traditional filter-based diagnostics. We present two methods of analyzing CENS measurements: (1) fitting the spectrum from each view-chord separately, and (2) a tomographic method for inverting the neutral density over a 2D region of space using all CENS views collectively. The neutral density profile is found to decay exponentially in the radial direction with two scale-lengths. In the pedestal region the neutral density decays at a rate approximately equal to the local mean-free-path for CX collisions, $L_{n_\mathrm{D0}}\approx \lambda_\text{CX}$. Further inside the plasma the neutral density decays at a rate equal to the mean-free-path for ionization, $L_{n_\mathrm{D0}}\approx \lambda_\text{inz.}$. The separatrix $n_\mathrm{D0}$ value is found to be approximately $2\times10^{15}$ m−3. Based on results from the 2D inversion, the density of neutrals is found to increase along the separatrix approaching the X-point by a factor of $\approx 5\times$ over the region covered by the CENS diagnostic.

X-point neutrals↗

Transport of ion beam in an annular magnetically expanding helicon double layer thruster

An ion beam generated by an annular double layer has been measured in a helicon thruster, which sustains a magnetised low-pressure (5.0 × 10{sup −4} Torr) argon plasma at a constant radio-frequency (13.56 MHz) power of 300 W. After the ion beam exits the annular structure, it merges into a solid centrally peaked structure in the diffusion chamber. As the annular ion beam moves towards the inner region in the diffusion chamber, a reversed-cone plasma wake (with a half opening angle of about 30°) is formed. This process is verified by measuring both the radial and axial distributions of the beam potential and beam current. The beam potential changes from a two-peak radial profile (maximum value ∼ 30 V, minimum value ∼ 22.5 V) to a flat (∼28 V) along the axial direction; similarly, the beam current changes from a two-peak to one-peak radial profile and the maximum value decreases by half. The inward cross-magnetic-field motion of the beam ions is caused by a divergent electric field in the source. Cross-field diffusion of electrons is also observed in the inner plume and is determined as being of non-ambipolar origin.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

Edge transport studies in the edge and scrape-off layer of the National Spherical Torus Experiment with Langmuir probes

Transport and turbulence profiles were directly evaluated using probes for the first time in the edge and scrape-off layer (SOL) of NSTX [Ono et al., Nucl. Fusion 40, 557 (2000)] in low (L) and high (H) confinement, low power (P{sub in}∼ 1.3 MW), beam-heated, lower single-null discharges. Radial turbulent particle fluxes peak near the last closed flux surface (LCFS) at ≈4×10{sup 21} s{sup −1} in L-mode and are suppressed to ≈0.2×10{sup 21} s{sup −1} in H mode (80%–90% lower) mostly due to a reduction in density fluctuation amplitude and of the phase between density and radial velocity fluctuations. The radial particle fluxes are consistent with particle inventory based on SOLPS fluid modeling. A strong intermittent component is identified. Hot, dense plasma filaments 4–10 cm in diameter, appear first ∼2 cm inside the LCFS at a rate of ∼1×10{sup 21} s{sup −1} and leave that region with radial speeds of ∼3–5 km/s, decaying as they travel through the SOL, while voids travel inward toward the core. Profiles of normalized fluctuations feature levels of 10% inside LCFS to ∼150% at the LCFS and SOL. Once properly normalized, the intermittency in NSTX falls in similar electrostatic instability regimes as seen in other devices. The L-H transition causes a drop in the intermittent filaments velocity, amplitude and number in the SOL, resulting in reduced outward transport away from the edge and a less dense SOL.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

Experimental studies and simulations of hydrogen pellet ablation in the stellarator TJ-II

Plasma core fuelling is a key issue for the development of steady-state scenarios in large magnetically-confined fusion devices, in particular for helical-type machines. At present, cryogenic pellet injection is the most promising technique for efficient fuelling. Here, pellet ablation and fuelling efficiency experiments, using a compact pellet injector, are carried out in electron cyclotron resonance and neutral beam injection heated plasmas of the stellarator TJ-II. Ablation profiles are reconstructed from light emissions collected by silicon photodiodes and a fast-frame camera system, under the assumptions that such emissions are loosely related to the ablation rate and that pellet radial acceleration is negligible. In addition, pellet particle deposition and fuelling efficiency are determined using density profiles provided by a Thomson scattering system. Furthermore, experimental results are compared with ablation and deposition profiles provided by the HPI2 pellet code, which is adapted here for the stellarators Wendelstein 7-X (W7-X) and TJ-II. Finally, the HPI2 code is used to simulate ablation and deposition profiles for pellets of different sizes and velocities injected into relevant W7-X plasma scenarios, while estimating the plasmoid drift and the fuelling efficiency of injections made from two W7-X ports.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

Quasistationary Plasma Predator-Prey System of Coupled Turbulence, Drive, and Sheared E × B Flow During High Performance DIII-D Tokamak Discharges [A New, Quasi-stationary Plasma Predator-Prey System of Coupled Turbulence, Drive, and Sheared E × B Flow During High Performance DIII-D Tokamak Discharges]

A new, long-lived limit cycle oscillation (LCO) regime has been observed in the edge of near zero torque high-performance DIII-D tokamak plasma discharges. These LCOs are localized and comprised of density turbulence, gradient drives, and E X B velocity shear damping ( E and B are the local radial electric and total magnetic fields). Density turbulence sequentially acts as a predator (via turbulence transport) of profile gradients and a prey (via shear suppression) to the E X B velocity shear. Reported here for the first time, a unique spatiotemporal variation of the local E X B velocity which is found to be essential for the existence of this system. The LCO system is quasi-stationary, existing from 3 to 12 plasma energy confinement times (~30 to 900 LCO cycles) limited by hardware constraints. In conclusion, this plasma system appears to contribute strongly to the edge transport in these high-performance and transient-free plasmas as evident from oscillations in transport relevant edge parameters at LCO timescale.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

The Milky Way’s hot gas kinematics: Signatures in current and future O vii absorption line observations

Detections of z ≈ 0 oxygen absorption and emission lines indicate the Milky Way hosts a hot (∼10{sup 6} K), low-density plasma extending ≳50 kpc into the Mily Way’s halo. Current X-ray telescopes cannot resolve the line profiles, but the variation of their strengths on the sky constrains the radial gas distribution. Interpreting the O vii Kα absorption line strengths has several complications, including optical depth and line of sight velocity effects. Here, we present model absorption line profiles accounting for both of these effects to show the lines can exhibit asymmetric structures and be broader than the intrinsic Doppler width. The line profiles encode the hot gas rotation curve, the net inflow or outflow of hot gas, and the hot gas angular momentum profile. We show how line of sight velocity effects impact the conversion between equivalent width and the column density, and provide modified curves of growth accounting for these effects. As an example, we analyze the LMC sight line pulsar dispersion measure and O vii equivalent width to show the average gas metallicity is ≳0.6Z{sub ⊙} and b ≳ 100 km s{sup −1}. Determining these properties offers valuable insights into the dynamical state of the Milky Way’s hot gas, and improves the line strength interpretation. We discuss future strategies to observe these effects with an instrument that has a spectral resolution of about 3000, a goal that is technically possible today.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Turbulence spreading effects on the ELM size and SOL width

BOUT++ turbulence simulations were performed to investigate the impact of turbulence spreading on the edge localized mode (ELM) size and divertor heat flux width (λ q ) broadening in small ELM regimes. Here, this study is motivated by EAST experiments. BOUT++ linear simulations of a pedestal radial electric field (E r ) scan show that the dominant toroidal number mode (n) shifts from high-n to low-n, with a narrow mode spectrum, and the maximum linear growth rate increases as the pedestal E r well deepens. The nonlinear simulations show that as the net E × B pedestal flow increases, the pressure fluctuation level and its inward penetration beyond the top of the pedestal both increase. This leads to a transition from small ELMs to large ELMs. Both inward and outward turbulence spreading are sensitive to the scrape-off-layer (SOL) plasma profiles. The inward turbulence spreading increases for the steep SOL profiles, leading to increasing pedestal energy loss in the small ELM regime. The SOL width (λ q ) is significantly broadened progressing from the ELM-free to small ELM regime, due to the onset of strong radial turbulent transport. The extent of the SOL width (λ q ) broadening depends strongly on outward turbulence spreading. The fluctuation energy intensity flux Γ ε at the separatrix can be enhanced by increasing either pedestal E r flow shear or local SOL pressure gradient. The λ q is broadened as the fluctuation energy intensity flux Γ ε at the last close flux surface (LCFS) increases. Local SOL E × B flow shear will restrain outward turbulence spreading and the associated heat flux width broadening. Operating in H-mode with small ELMs has the potential to solve two critical problems: reducing the ELM size and broadening the SOL width.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

Detection of an electron beam in a high density plasma via an electrostatic probe

Here, an electron beam is detected by a 1D floating potential probe array in a relatively high density (10 12 –10 13 cm -3 ) and low temperature (~5 eV) plasma of the Magnetic Reconnection Experiment. Clear perturbations in the floating potential profile by the electron beam are observed. Based on the floating potential profile and a current balance equation to the probe array tips, the effective width of the electron beam is determined, from which we determine the radial and toroidal beam current density profiles. After the profile of the electron beam is specified from the measured beam current, we demonstrate the consistency of the current balance equation and the location of the perturbation is also in agreement with field line mapping. No significant broadening of the electron beam is observed after the beam propagates for tens of centimeters through the high density plasma. These results prove that the field line mapping is, in principle, possible in high density plasmas.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗