title: Steady-state fully noninductive current driven by electron cyclotron waves in a magnetically confined plasma
abstract: A steady-state, fully noninductive plasma current has been sustained for the first time in a tokamak using electron cyclotron current drive only. In this discharge, 123 kA of current have been sustained for the entire gyrotron pulse duration of 2 s. Careful distribution across the plasma minor radius of the power deposited from three 0. 5-MW gyrotrons was essential for reaching steady-state conditions. With central current drive, up to 153 kA of current have been fully replaced transiently for 100 ms. The noninductive scenario is confirmed by the ability to recharge the Ohmic transformer. The dependence of the current drive efficiency on the minor radius is also demonstrated.
authors.affiliation: Centre de Recherches en Physique des Plasmas, Association Euratom-Confederation Suisse, EPFL, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland.
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Sauter
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Henderson
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Hofmann
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Goodman
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Alberti
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Angioni
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Appert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Behn
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Blanchard
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bosshard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Chavan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Coda
authors.initials: BP
authors.lastname: Duval
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Fasel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Favre
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Furno
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gorgerat
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hogge
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Isoz
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Joye
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lavanchy
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Lister
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Llobet
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Magnin
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mandrin
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Manini