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Proceedings of the 14th International Symposium on Laser-Aided Plasma Diagnostics (LAPD14), 21-24 September 2009, Castelbrando, Treviso, Italy
No full textOn the calibration of polarimetric Thomson scattering by Raman polarimetry
No full textPolarimetric Thomson scattering (TS) is an alternative method for the analysis of Thomson scattering spectra in which the plasma temperature Te is determined from the depolarization of the TS radiation. This is a relativistic effect and therefore the technique is suitable only for very hot plasmas (Te > 10 keV) such as those of ITER. The practical implementation of polarimetric TS requires a method to calibrate the polarimetric response of the collection optics carrying the TS light to the detection system, and in particular to measure the additional depolarization of the TS radiation introduced by the plasma-exposed first mirror. Rotational Raman scattering of laser light from diatomic gases such as H2, D2, N2 and O2 can provide
a radiation source of predictable intensity and polarization state from a well-defined volume inside the vacuum vessel and is therefore suitable for these calibrations. In this paper we discuss Raman polarimetry as a technique for the calibration of a hypothetical polarimetric TS system operating in the same conditions of the ITER core TS system and suggest two calibration methods for the measurement of the additional depolarization introduced by the plasma-exposed first mirror, and in general for calibrating the polarimetric response of the detection system
Simple analytical model of gain saturation in microchannel plate devices
No full textWe derive, discuss, and test against experimental data an analytical model of the gain saturation in microchannel plate (MCP) devices. By introducing a simple recharging circuit for each dynode, we extend the well-known, unsaturated gain model of Eberhardt to a microchannel operating in condition of gain saturation and show that the amplification of a current pulse and the voltage drop along the channel can be described by a pair of coupled differential equations. Solutions of these equations are given in various conditions, including an approximate solution, valid in the case of weak saturation and a general solution in implicit form. The behavior of a microchannel operating in current mode is studied by finding the transient and steady-state solutions obtained with an input step current wave form. Exact solutions are given for the charge gain of pulses with a short duration, compared to the dynode recharging time, and for the gain recovery of a microchannel after the amplification of..
Development of a multipoint Thomson scattering system for a large Reversed Field Pinch experiment
No full textA multipoint Thomson scattering system is under development for the measurement of Te and ne spatial profiles in RFX, a large (a=0.48 m, R=2 m, I≤2 MA) reversed field pinch experiment. In this system, the beam from a low divergence ruby laser (E=15 J, Δt=30 ns) is focused to cross the plasma in the equatorial plane. The scattering signal from 30 locations along a plasma diameter is collected by means of high transmission fiber optic bundles. An effective viewing dump was obtained by engraving sharp poloidal grooves in the first wall graphite tiles. The scattering light spectra are analyzed by means of three spectrometers, each including an F/3.4, aberration corrected, holographic grating and a 40-mm-diam MCP photomultiplier with a 10×10 anode array. These detectors use a high strip current, V-plate, electron multiplier with 105 electron gain and have a recovery time of less than 30 μs. In the 300-channel data acquisition electronics, the plasma light background may be sampled 100 ns be..
Optimized in-situ window cleaning system by laser blow-off through optical fiber
No full textAn optimized in-situ window cleaning system by laser blow-off through optical fiber has been developed on the basis of a feasibility study previously presented. The beam generated from a Q-switched Nd:YAG laser (up to 330mJ output energy, pulse duration 5ns FWHM with 10Hz repetition rate) is launched into a high damage threshold optical fiber (√ò=1mm) through an f=80mm lens kept in a sealed box at 1mbar pressure. The fiber output is focused on the coated surface of a vacuum window previously exposed to the plasma of the RFX-mod experiment. We investigate the energy density threshold necessary to ablate the impurity deposition substrate: above threshold a single laser pulse recovers ~95% of the window transmission before its exposure to the plasma, while below it the efficiency of the cleaning process is too poor. The system so conceived can clean completely the largest window on RFX-mod (10 4 mm 2 surface) in about 20minutes. We also present first results obtained firing the laser directly on a bundle of small core diameter fibers, showing performance similar to those attainable with commercial products
Calibration methods for ITER core LIDAR
No full textThe standard technique for the relative calibration in present Thomson scattering diagnostics, can be used in ITER only if the full collection path is included in the calibration: indeed, the in-vessel optics will be exposed to neutron and gamma irradiation and particle flux, that will likely cause a distortion of the spectral transmission curve. The standard scheme would ask to position a diffuser in front of the first collection mirror, e.g. on the protective shutter, and to illuminate it with a light source nearby. Alternatively, a back illumination scheme could be used, with a more efficient retroreflector array. A completely different approach is based on TS measurements from two lasers with different wavelengths: this self-calibrating method does not require any in-vessel tool and will provide both the electron temperature and the relative sensitivity of spectral channels
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