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Updated: Aug 28, 2025

Non-equilibrium Microwave Plasma for Efficient High Temperature Chemistry
Published on: August 1, 2017
Efficient electron cyclotron current drive regime for plasma current start-up in fusion reactors
M Ono1, N Bertelli1, V Shevchenko2
1Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory, Princeton, New Jersey 08543, USA.
Abstract:
An accessibility enhanced efficient fundamental X-mode electron cyclotron heating (ECH) current start-up regime was identified for a reactorlike toroidal magnetic field range which has more than 100 times higher current drive efficiency compared to more conventional ECH methods for the relevant start-up temperature range. Very high current drive efficiency is possible due to the strong cyclotron interaction only with unidirectional passing electrons constrained by the wave accessibility conditions. This efficient electron cyclotron current drive regime may help facilitate the design of innovative economical solenoid-free tokamak fusion reactor systems.
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