Development of a Multi-Channel Horn Mixer Array for Microwave Imaging Plasma Diagnostics

Abstract

Microwave to millimeter-wave diagnostics techniques, such as interferometry, reflectometry, scattering, and radiometry, have been powerful tools for diagnosing magnetically confined plasmas. The resultant measurements have clarified several physics issues, including instability, wave phenomena, and fluctuation-induced transport. Electron cyclotron emission imaging has been an important tool in the investigation of temperature fluctuations, while reflectometry has been employed to measure plasma density profiles and their fluctuations. We have developed a horn-antenna mixer array (HMA), a 50 - 110 GHz 1D antenna array, which can be easily stacked as a 2D array. This article describes an upgrade to the horn mixer array that combines well-characterized mixers, waveguide-to-microstrip line transitions, intermediate frequency amplifiers, and internal local oscillator modules using a monolithic microwave integrated circuit technology to improve system performance. We also report on the use of a multi-channel HMA system.