X-mode heterodyne reflectometer for edge density profile measurements on Tore Supra

A new broadband reflectometer operating in the frequency range 50–75 GHz in extraordinary mode polarization has been developed and tested on Tore Supra to measure edge density profiles. Using solid state source and active frequency multipliers, it performs routine measurements in 20 μs. Modulation of the source frequency is the clue to heterodyne detection in order to ensure a high dynamic sensitivity without any phase locking system. The reflectometer can achieve a repetition rate of 5 μs between sweeps, so the dynamic behavior of fast plasma events can be followed. The profile is reconstructed fully automatically from raw data and initialization is given by detection of the first cutoff. The profiles are part of the public database of Tore Supra. High reliability of the measurements for various plasma conditions makes this diagnostic an ideal tool to study the plasma–surface interaction physics and rf antenna coupling processes.