In magnetically confined fusion plasmas, the breaking of ‘magnetic flux-surfaces’ due to resonant magnetic perturbations (RMPs) can generate magnetic islands and alter field topology to significantly impact plasma confinement and transport. This work investigates the effect of magnetic islands on neoclassical radial energy transport within the core plasma of an analytic circular tokamak using the XGC-S global gyrokinetic particle-in-cell code. Findings from our simulations revealed substantial enhancements in electron neoclassical radial energy diffusivity in and around the islands, in addition to a newly observed two-peak structure at the O/X-points and outer island boundary in the electron diffusivity profile.

The ion temperature in an ECR plasma is determined from the ratio of wavelength-integrated spectra obtained using a spectrometer with sufficient time resolution. The ion temperature during the intermittent negative spikes in floating potential is extracted using the conditional averaging method. For the first time, we have successfully observed a decrease in ion temperature during intermittent events.

We evaluate the performance of Gaussian Process Regression (GPR) in estimating the current-voltage characteristics of a Langmuir probe, as well as its first and second derivatives. The results show good agreement between the estimated and measured data. When comparing GPR with the conventional Savitzky-Golay filter, we find that GPR is comparable to the Savitzky-Golay filter in terms of the accuracy of the estimated data. The uncertainty of the estimated data is also evaluated, and the results indicate that GPR underestimates the uncertainty of the electron current. This is likely due to the assumption of a homoscedastic noise model in the standard GPR.

In the linear plasma experimental device NUMBER, the densities of ions and atoms in helium plasma were estimated using passive spectroscopic measurements. The collisional-radiative models were employed to derive the densities of atoms and ions from the measured line intensities of each species. The estimated densities of helium species showed that (1) the atom density is one order of magnitude smaller than that estimated from gas pressure before discharge, (2) the density of singly charged ions is one order of magnitude smaller than that of atoms, (3) the doubly charged ions have a density 4 orders of magnitude smaller than the singly charged ions.

Spatial gradients of electron temperature and density along the magnetic field line are directly measured in helium recombining plasma using the linear plasma device NUMBER. In a specific neutral gas pressure range, a steep temperature gradient is observed, with a scale length shorter than the device length. At higher pressures, the sign of electron density gradient reversed from positive to negative, indicating existence of a spatial density peak. Reconstruction of spatial temperature and density profiles indicates that monotonically decreasing temperature and the spatial peak of density along the magnetic field line.

The Cormack inversion is a well-known procedure for tomography. However, the Fourier-Bessel function expansion could be preferably used for plasma tomography, since plasma images obtained with the Cormack inversion tend to produce a false plasma image in the boundary without regards to its advantage: the direct structural analysis of plasma is possible using a set of line-integrated data. Here we propose an application of function modification technique to revive the advantage of the Cormack inversion and present successful experimental result in a tomography system of a cylindrical plasma.

In this study, we apply Hankel Sparsity-Promoting Dynamic Mode Decomposition (Hankel-SP-DMD) to dynamic turbulent flows in two-dimensional space to predict their long-term spatial structures. The target turbulence data are obtained from numerical simulations based on the extended Hasegawa-Wakatani model. The proposed method successfully extracts dominant modes and predicts their temporal evolution. We further evaluate the impact of hyperparameter settings required for training on prediction performance, and provide guidance for appropriate parameter selection based on the correlation with turbulence and limit-cycle periods.

This paper deals with the experimental identification of the mode structure for the CDC by the tomographic reconstruction. Theoretically, it was predicted the CDC is triggered by the high-n ballooning mode. In the experiment, the localized density fluctuations at the outboard side are observed at the onset, and this is evidence that the ballooning-like instability triggers the CDC. Still, it was not well confirmed because the mode structure is not experimentally understood yet. To understand the mode structure, a new tomographic reconstruction is developed by coupling the Fourier-Bessel series expansion method and sparse modeling with L1 regularization. Using this, the ballooning-like mode structure of the density fluctuations is successfully reconstructed at the precursor.

A sheet structure has been observed in a coaxial helicity injection experiment conducted on the spherical tokamak QUEST. After a bubble burst, a high-speed visible camera captured a formation of the sheet in the region between the main plasma and the ring electrode. Subsequently, the sheet faded out, resulting in the formation of closed flux surfaces.

We conducted energetic particle-induced MHD burst excitation experiments on the Large Helical Device (LHD) to investigate how these events—and the associated deformations of the ion velocity distribution—depend on the direction of the magnetic field. Wavelet cross-power spectrum analysis revealed that the toroidal propagation direction of the MHD bursts reverses with the magnetic field. Fast charge exchange recombination spectroscopy (fast-CXRS) was used to measure the temporal evolution of the carbon ion velocity distribution function. A bipolar signature in velocity space, as well as the resonant velocity, varied with the magnetic field direction. A strong correlation was observed between the chirping frequency and the corresponding resonant velocity, and the phase velocity was found to closely match the resonant velocity, including the sign of the propagation direction.

Millimeter-wave back-scattering (BS) system is a diagnostics system capable of measuring electron-scale turbulence, which is expected to have a large influence on future burning plasma confinement. The measured frequency band overlaps that of the electron cyclotron emission (ECE), resulting in comparable background noise. We have developed a method to estimate this background noise by implementing linear regression between the BS signal intensity and that of the ECE when the probing beam is turned off, and have verified the method in LHD experiments.

This study presents the first detailed investigation of confinement times in non-adiabatic traps during the axial injection of thermal plasma from the mirror edge, using particle trajectory calculations. Plasma is supplied from a coaxially positioned plasma source through an orifice with a ring-shaped aperture. The results of the analysis show that the longest confinement time occurs when the ring radius of the aperture is approximately equal to the ion Larmor radius at the mirror region. Under these conditions, the confinement time is found to be approximately four times the time it takes for particles to traverse the device length at thermal velocity.

We demonstrate the estimation of electrostatic potential fluctuations in dynamically varying Kelvin-Helmholtz turbulence using multi-scale convolutional neural network. The turbulence field is obtained from simulations based on a reduced fluid model in cylindrical magnetized plasmas. The target turbulence shows limit-cycle oscillations, and coherent and spiral structures are generated and annihilated repeatedly. High accuracy of the prediction is realized for the electrostatic potential field, and the estimation of the particle flux calculated from the predicted potential agrees with the answer with 98.4% accuracy. Behavior of the prediction accuracy is also discussed by changing the hyper parameters, such as the number of filters and the size of the training data.

A linear Hall-MHD simulation code is developed to investigate the spatial structure of two-dimensional wave propagation excited in a field-reversed configuration (FRC) equilibrium plasma. A low-frequency oscillating magnetic field at 160 kHz is externally applied by a ring coil installed concentrically with the device axis in the open-field region. The generated toroidal magnetic field propagates primarily along magnetic field lines at a phase velocity comparable to that of shear Alfvén waves. Due to the Hall effect, toroidal magnetic fluctuations penetrate into the closed-field region near the separatrix over a distance on the order of the ion skin depth. In the core region, where magnetic fluctuations vanish, ion density oscillations become dominant.

In this study, Physics-Informed Neural Networks (PINNs), a deep learning-based framework is applied to a partial differential equation in multi-dimensional space. As a preliminary investigation, the diffusion equation is solved and we examine how computation time varies with spatial dimensionality. The computational time with that of the Finite Difference Method (FDM) with keeping the computation accuracy. The results show that the PINNs can be faster than the FDM in a higher-dimensional space due to the mesh-free characteristics.

In L-mode plasmas of the JFT-2M tokamak, we applied conditional averaging to time-series data of electrostatic potential fluctuations measured by the Heavy Ion Beam Probe (HIBP). The analyzed phase was dominated by Geodesic Acoustic Modes (GAMs), and the extracted nonlinear waveforms exhibited periodic harmonic structures. Fourier analysis revealed a dominant second harmonic, while the third harmonic was unexpectedly weaker than the fourth. This nontrivial trend deviates from standard gyrokinetic predictions with a simple configuration (circular cross-section with periodic boundary condition). The results implies that symmetry breaking due to the boundary and/or plasma shape could play key roles in GAM saturation and offer guidance for refining theoretical models.

The integrated plasma transport code requires acceleration. This study evaluates the computation time and calculation error when the number of test fast ions in the neutral beam deposition calculation is reduced. The statistical error increases approximately in proportion to the inverse square root of the number of test fast ions. A more detailed analysis reveals that the statistical error depends on the number of fast ions newly generated per slowing-down time of the fast ions. The results provide useful guidelines for selecting the number of test fast ions in neutral beam current drive calculations according to the required calculation time and accuracy.

To support the development of a compact experimental system for the proton-boron (p-¹¹B) fusion reaction, we performed numerical simulations of proton generation and acceleration in the electrostatic field produced by a pyroelectric crystal. Electrostatic potential distributions were calculated by solving the Laplace equation for three electrode configurations: a disk electrode alone, a disk with a needle electrode, and a disk with a cylinder electrode. The proton impact rate on a boron target placed opposite the electrodes was evaluated for each configuration. It was found that the disk and needle electrodes achieved a maximum impact rate of approximately 37% at a crystal heating temperature of 5 K, while the cylinder electrode achieved a comparable impact rate at a lower temperature of 1 K. These results indicate that the cylinder electrode configuration can achieve efficient proton acceleration at reduced heating temperatures.

The proton-boron (B) fusion reaction, which has recently garnered increasing attention, requires pure boron-11 as fuel. In previous boron injection experiments in fusion reactors, small cylindrical capsules containing boron powder were used as pellets. However, this injection method posed several critical challenges, including contamination of capsule elements and low injection volume. To address these issues, our group developed capsule-free pure boron pellets, specifically for plasma experiments using boron. This paper presents the fabrication processes and mechanical properties of the pure boron pellets, which were successfully injected into the Large Helical Device (LHD).

This Letter presents a Lagrangian formulation of reduced magnetohydrodynamics (RMHD) for Alfvénic fluctuations in a uniform background magnetic field. The RMHD equations are derived in Lagrangian coordinates through the least action principle. We also demonstrate that cross helicity conservation is naturally tied to fluid element relabeling symmetry.

The helium I line intensity ratio (LIR) method is used to measure the electron density (n_e) and temperature (T_e) of fusion-relevant plasmas. Although the collisional-radiative model (CRM) has been used to predict n_e and T_e, recent studies have shown that machine learning approaches can provide better measurements if a sufficient dataset for training is available. This study investigates a hybrid neural network approach that combines CRM- and experiment-based models. Although the CRM-based model alone exhibited negative transfer in most cases, the ensemble model modestly improved the prediction accuracy of T_e. Notably, in data-limited scenarios, the CRM-based model outperformed the others for T_e prediction, highlighting its potential for applications with constrained diagnostic access.

The core-degradation effect due to tungsten (W) - a proposed plasma-facing material for the operation of future nuclear fusion reactors such as ITER and DEMO - calls for the study of sputtered W. In this study, sputtered W from a point source in the linear divertor plasma simulator, NAGDIS-II, was investigated. A hyperspectral imaging (HSI) camera was used to image the spatial profile of the sputtered W in helium and argon mixture plasma with different incident ion energies. By applying the Abel transform and fittings with several functions and comparing with the theoretical value, it is found that the ionization effect is not obvious but the geometrical spreading effect is dominant for the axial decay of the local W emission profile.

This study performed tungsten (W) co-deposition experiments using pulsed laser deposition under exposure to helium/argon plasma in a linear plasma device. Micron-sized spherical W particles were formed under co-deposition conditions. It was suggested that these particles grew from nanoparticles via the electrostatic collection of W ions in the plasma plume before deposition.

Broadening of hydrogenic spectral lines is an important tool in spectroscopic diagnostics of various laboratory and astrophysical plasmas. We review recent analytical advances in five areas. First, we review a new method for spectroscopic diagnostics of tokamak edge plasmas based on a peculiar Stark broadening of hydrogen or deuterium spectral lines emitted by the injected neutral beam. Second, we review the analytical solution for the magnetic-field-caused narrowing of hydrogenic spectral lines under a circularly polarized electromagnetic wave. Third, we review analytical results concerning the Stark-Zeeman broadening of the Lyman-alpha line in plasmas. Forth, we review the effect of helical trajectories of electrons in strongly magnetized plasmas on the width of hydrogen/deuterium spectral lines. Fifth, we review recent analytical advances in the area of the intra-Stark spectroscopy: three different new methods, based on the emergent phenomenon of the Langmuir-wave-caused structures (“L-dips”) in the line profiles, for measuring super-strong magnetic fields of the GigaGauss range developing during relativistic laser-plasma interactions. We also review the rich physics behind the L-dips phenomenon – because there was a confusion in the literature in this regard.

A hydrogen secondary gas feeding experiment was conducted with hydrogen plasma. A rollover of the electron density and a monotonic decrease in the electron temperature were observed as the amount of the secondary gas increased. The vibrational distribution and temperature of ground electronic hydrogen molecules were evaluated based on the Fulcher-α band spectroscopy. To analyze the contribution of molecular activated recombination (MAR) to plasma particle loss, the reaction rates of the dissociative attachment (DA) and ion conversion (IC) of vibrationally excited hydrogen molecules were calculated. The reaction rate of IC was approximately two orders of magnitude greater than that of DA and significantly increased with the onset of the density rollover. The IC reaction rate remained high even as the electron density decreased. This analysis is limited to the first reactions of MAR; however, the significance of IC-MAR is strongly indicated.

We have constructed a simulation model of the Doppler free spectra for the hydrogen Balmer α line. We are introducing the laser excitation process into the collisional-radiative model of hydrogen atoms to see how much saturation can be achieved under realistic plasma conditions and laser power density. Results show that the simulated spectra were able to successfully model Lamb dips and peaks utilizing this method, with the simulated plasma and laser parameters showing good agreement to the ones used in the experiment. This model has additionally helped illustrate further insight into how plasma parameters can affect the spectral characteristics of Lamb dips and peaks.

A line integrated Thomson scattering (LITS) measurement system with a single line of sight was designed, assembled and installed on the TST-2 spherical tokamak device. Ohmic discharge plasmas were measured using it to clarify the performance of the LITS system. The effective scattering intensity profiles along the laser beam, which are key information affecting the performance and analysis, were measured using a movable target. Thomson scattering signals were obtained, and electron temperatures were compared with those obtained by a conventional TS system. The temperatures agree within the error bars, considering the spatial ambiguities of the LITS due to the long scattering length.

In recent years, the development of soft X-ray (SXR) light sources has progressed rapidly, particularly for applications within the water window region (23–44 Å), where high-resolution, high-contrast imaging of biological cells and macromolecules is possible. In this study, we analyze water window emission lines of samarium-like (Sm-like) Pb²⁰⁺ ions observed using a compact electron beam ion trap at an electron beam energy of 565 eV. The analysis is carried out using a collisional-radiative model based on atomic data from HULLAC. Three distinct meta-stable states of Pb²⁰⁺, each with a fractional population exceeding 1%, are identified. To explore the conditions under which meta-stable states are formed or suppressed across the isoelectronic sequence, we performed systematic atomic structure and transition rate calculations for Sm-like ions from Hg to Po (Z = 80–84). These results provide new insights into the role of energy level crossings and decay pathways in the formation of long-lived states, offering implications for optimizing soft X-ray emission in plasma-based light sources.

The accuracy of magnetic field analysis including eddy current is important in MHD equilibrium reconstruction of tokamak plasmas. In a small toroidal plasma experimental device TOKASTAR-2, the eddy current calculations were done with an axisymmetric model of the vacuum vessel though its vacuum vessel has periodic three-dimensionality every 90 degrees of toroidal angle due to large horizontal ports. The three-dimensional (3D) eddy current magnetic field is evaluated by 3D magnetic field calculations using ANSYS for the first time in TOKASTAR-2. The results are compared with the conventional axisymmetric magnetic field calculation and measurements using magnetic probes located inside and outside of the vacuum vessel. The resistivity of the vacuum vessel model in ANSYS is modified to reduce the error from the experimental values. Using the developed model, the effect of the presence of the port on the eddy current magnetic field is evaluated. The results show that the toroidal-average of the eddy current magnetic field becomes smaller by presence of the ports but the non-uniformity in the toroidal direction is relatively small. This implies that the effects of the port would be introduced in an axisymmetric model by using poloidally nonuniform resistivity to suppress the eddy current on the midplane.

Predicting and preventing abrupt plasma termination incidents pose considerable challenges in nuclear fusion research. In the Large Helical Device (LHD), this occurrence is referred to as radiative collapse. During radiative collapse, impurity particles induce energy dissipation via radiation, hindering the maintenance of plasma discharges. Our approach aims to predict radiative collapse by analyzing the visible light emitted during such events. LHD uses approximately ten cameras to continuously observe plasma discharges, resulting in the accumulation of substantial video data from previous experiments. Using these images, convolutional neural network (CNN) models were trained to identify discharge states and subsequently applied to plasma discharge videos of the plasma discharges as a predictor. As a result, a determination model was developed, capable of discerning between stable and collapsed plasma discharge states with an accuracy of 91.5% ± 4% using plasma discharge images. Notably, this model demonstrated the potential to predict radiative collapse approximately three frames (66–132 ms) in advance. An examination of the model’s focal points revealed consistency with findings from prior research.

Based on the successful results of three 77 and two 154 GHz gyrotrons development and their contributions to large helical device (LHD) plasma experiments, a new 154/116 GHz dual-frequency gyrotron was developed. The optimal combination of cavity oscillation modes for dual-frequency oscillations at 154 and 116 GHz and optimal designs for the electron gun, cavity, mode converter, RF transmission mirrors, output window, and collector were determined. In an experimental test of the 154/116 GHz dual-frequency gyrotron, maximum powers of 1.66 and 1.34 MW were achieved at 154.05 and 116.15 GHz with pulse widths of 2.5 ms, respectively.

The transition condition from an attached state to a detached state of magnetic confinement plasmas has been investigated by a data-drive approach in LHD. This transition is defined as a binary classification problem of two states, and Support Vector Machine together with Exhaust Search has been applied. The boundary between detachment and attachment in the physical parameter space has been identified as a decision function comprising radiation and heating power, magnetic field and the resonant magnetic flux. While resonant magnetic perturbation (RMP) secures stable detached plasmas, it has been found that the featured parameter is not externally applied RMP itself but the plasma response to RMP. The present approach gives a robust separation boundary even for the extended operation with radiation enhancement by neon gas puff. Anomaly detection with a singular value decomposition has been also applied to the temporal behavior and identified pre- and post-relationships of each physical parameter in time. Emissions from carbon impurities with low ionization potential start to change prior to the RMP penetration and then the drop of ion saturation current, that is the transition to detachment, happens. These temporal sequences do not necessarily mean causality but are helpful for approach to physical inference.

The reconnection outflow velocity under high guide field was directly measured using the 1D array of ion Doppler probes and was compared with the E × B, gradient B, and curvature drift velocity calculated from 2D profile measurements of electric and magnetic fields for the first time. It was found that the measured ion velocity profile agrees well with the profile of E × B drift velocity which is much larger than the other drift velocities. The poloidal flux-line velocity is almost equal to the E × B drift and ion flow velocities, probably because magnetic flux is almost frozen into ions due to its large Lundquist number of 10².

This paper investigates the density dependence of low-frequency edge harmonic oscillations (LF-EHOs) in the Large Helical Device (LHD) H-mode plasmas. A series of discharges with varying density settings reveal that the L-H mode transition occurs above a certain density threshold, and LF-EHOs appear only above an even higher density threshold. In discharges exhibiting LF-EHOs, the cross-coherence between density and magnetic fluctuations for the fundamental frequency remains consistently high across the entire density range. In contrast, the cross-coherence for the second harmonic exhibits an increasing trend with higher plasma density. These findings suggest that the LF-EHO potentially plays a noticeable role in edge profile saturation.

We developed a bounce-time (BT)-based orbit-following Monte-Carlo code as an extension of the OFMC code in QST. In the BT-based method, we take a bounce time as a time step of the orbit following. The time step is ~ 100 times longer than the gyro period which is a typical time step for the conventional guiding-center (GC) method. In the BT-based method, an accurate and simple estimation of a poloidal projection of the bounce orbit and a staying time are essential. An expression for the orbit gives us an orbit shape by a small calculation with the difference of less than 1% of the minor radius, compared with the GC method with the same fast ion parameters. And an approximate expression for the staying time also gives us the staying time with a good accuracy for our purpose. We can see a good agreement between calculation results for the BT-based method and those for the GC method in an axisymmetric condition. The BT-based method is 70–140 times faster than the GC method, depending on the slowing-down time.

To optimize the design of a helical fusion reactor by varying the shape of the magnetic coils, several requirements related to the performance of the reactor should be satisfied under various constraints. To address this multi-objective optimization problem, we utilized Gaussian process regression (GPR) for machine learning to develop a surrogate model capable of predicting the dependence of the objective functions on the parameters representing the coil shape. This study demonstrates that the dependence of objective functions, such as plasma volume and the Mercier criterion, on the shape of helical coil windings can be predicted by GPR.

The Bohm criterion for two-ion-species plasmas in a scrape-off layer–divertor system is investigated using the anisotropic-ion-pressure plasma fluid scheme and the virtual divertor model, which does not require the boundary condition of the incident flow speed at a divertor target. The flow velocities of the two ion species at the target obtained from our fluid simulations agree well with those obtained from earlier particle-in-cell simulations for both collisionless and collisional cases. The so-called Bohm criterion can be self-consistently established without direct treatment of the sheath region. Examining the time evolution of the flow velocity at the target, we infer that the Bohm criterion is not related to sheath potential formation but is the stability condition for an equilibrium solution of the quasi-neutral plasma region.

We develop a real-time adaptive predictive control system based on data assimilation (DA) for the temperature and density of helical fusion plasmas. The DA-based control approach enables the harmonious integration of measurement, heating, fueling, and simulation and can provide a flexible platform for adaptive model predictive control. The core part of the control system, ASTI, is built upon the integrated simulation code TASK3D and a data assimilation framework DACS. DACS integrates adaptation of the predictive model (digital twin) to the actual system using real-time measurements and control estimation that is robust against model and observation uncertainties. We perform numerical experiments using ASTI to control the electron temperature profile and density of a virtual plasma generated by TASK3D. The results demonstrate that ASTI can effectively drive the virtual plasma state toward the target state while bridging the gap between the digital twin and the virtual plasma. Furthermore, the numerical experiments clarify the effects of hyperparameters in the DA-based control approach on control performance.

Data assimilation, a technique that uses actual measurements to optimize simulation models, is a powerful approach for achieving fast and accurate predictions of fusion plasma behavior. In this study, we validate the effectiveness of the data assimilation technique in the integrated simulation of tokamak plasmas. We use the data assimilation system ASTI, which has been successfully applied to real-time prediction and control of helical plasmas. We extend ASTI for transport simulation of tokamak plasmas and introduce a new data assimilation method that incorporates measurement error information. In this paper, we present simulation results using measurements from JT-60U plasma heated by neutral beam injection. Comparisons of several turbulent transport models are also provided. The results demonstrate that the data assimilation method is effective in tokamak simulation as well and expected to be useful for real-time prediction and control in the future.

We developed a bounce-time-based (BT) orbit-following Monte-Carlo code in order to calculate a fast ion transport in the previous work as an extension of the OFMC code in QST. In the BT method, we take a bounce time as a time step of the orbit following for the purpose of reducing computational resources. However, the BT method code has limitations in its realistic application. In order to reduce the limitation, we have developed a hybrid code with the BT method and a drift orbit-following method. In the code, we can switch the methods depending on conditions for each purpose. With using this hybrid code, we have reduced the difference between the BT method and drift orbit-following method in the distribution of fast ions and heating in the plasma central region, which was observed in the previous work, and have been able to adopt a realistic first wall as a loss boundary instead of a separatrix. We have also applied this hybrid approach to handle a fast ion transport in a toroidal field ripple. The hybrid calculation well reproduced the profiles of several quantities obtained by the drift orbit calculation alone while reducing the calculation time.

To evaluate the delamination mechanism of the joint interfaces of a plasma-facing component, a new approach using the finite element analysis (FEA) applying the cohesive zone model (CZM) is proposed. The parametric study on the maximum traction τ_max, which is one of the principal CZM parameters, was conducted for compensating the lack of material data. Monotonic heat loading was applied to the surface up to 20 MW/m² in 1 second. The traction-separation law was assumed to be bilinear, which represents the relation between the representative crack stress and its opening displacement used for CZM. In the parametric study, three assumptions of τ_max were defined, (1) equal to the weaker bulk strength (Copper), (2) considering temperature dependency, and the average value of the strength ratio of the interface to bulk copper, and (3) considering as well as (2) but the lowest value of the ratio. Results of the parametric study suggest shear stress-governed (mode Ⅱ) delamination without vertical crack propagation in tungsten monoblock. Meanwhile, the joint interface shows compression, which means the interface remains in contact. Therefore, it is suggested that the degradation of cooling capability does not happen during the heating process unless vertical cracks in tungsten do not propagate into the interface.

Applying high-temperature superconducting (HTS) conductors to the magnets of Helical fusion reactors, which require a higher degree of three-dimensionality compared to the magnets of tokamak devices, can enhance plasma performance by increasing fusion power. By stacking Rare-Earth Barium Copper Oxide (REBCO) tapes, winding them into specific shapes, and then impregnating them with low-melting-point metals, the strain on the tapes can be minimized. Using this method, a 2-m-long U-shaped WISE (Wound and Impregnated Stacked Elastic tapes) conductor was subjected to current testing at temperatures ranging from 6 to 20 K and magnetic fields of 8 T. The conductor had the capability of maintaining 40 kA for 8 s at 6 K, 8 T with an average engineering current density of 31 A/mm², without a temperature rise or quench. Repeated tests at 20 K and 8 T with a maximum current of 22 kA showed no temperature increase, confirming the conductor’s mechanical robustness. In the preliminary stages of the energization test, an increase in voltage reminiscent of a quench was observed, even though the current was lower than the critical current value. However, this voltage was suppressed as the maximum value decreased with each repetition of energization. Such behavior is considered similar to a training effect and indicates the movement of REBCO tape inside the conductor.

This study investigates the influence of tungsten (W) deposition on hydrogen plasma-driven permeation (PDP) behavior by examining co-deposition of W and hydrogen on a nickel (Ni) substrate. Experiments were performed using RF plasma sputtering at a substrate temperature of 693 K. The measured hydrogen permeation flux exhibited a transient peak followed by a steady-state phase, even as the W deposition layer continued to grow. Additionally, doubling the Ni substrate thickness had no effect on the steady-state flux, indicating that the permeation was limited by surface recombination processes rather than bulk diffusion. The numerical model was developed to simulate hydrogen diffusion and surface recombination processes in both the Ni substrate and the growing W layer. As W deposition changes the surface condition, the recombination coefficient (K_r) was expressed as a function of time, which successfully reproduced the transient peak observed in the experiment. The temporal suppression of K_r was attributed to the initial deposition of W atoms on the Ni surface. Further validation through repeated discharge experiments with pre-deposited W confirmed that the initial transition from Ni to W was responsible for the peak. These results show that surface changes such as W deposition strongly affect surface recombination, thereby influencing PDP behavior.

A pulsed power discharge experiment was conducted to investigate the compositional effect on plasma parameters of a mixed gas plasma of argon (Ar) and helium (He) gases as the heavy and light species, respectively. As the plasma parameters, electron temperature, drift velocity, and ion density were estimated for different compositions of Ar and He. Electron temperature and drift velocity were estimated by line-pair and time-of-flight methods, respectively. Ion density was estimated by Faraday cup method. Line-pair method results obtained by Ar lines and He lines at each composition show that Ar and He are in different partial local thermal equilibrium (PLTE) states in the mixed gas. Different relaxation times between different atomic species confirm the deviation of LTE. Similar drift velocity estimated by Ar and He lines separately at each composition shows that the plasma is a homogenous mixture. Drift velocity decreases as the increment of the Ar percentage in the mixture since the average mass of the mixture increases.

An ECR (Electron Cyclotron Resonance) discharge can serve as an efficient atomic hydrogen beam source for a bio-molecule mass analysis system through detecting fragment ions produced from the HAD (Hydrogen Attachment/Abstraction Dissociation) process. A simple diagnostics system that measures the absorption of photons from a light emitting diode located at the opposite side of the ECR plasma is coupled to a 4 mm inner diameter glass tube discharge source driven by a 2.45 GHz microwave. The obtained result for a fixed microwave input power shows a simple linear correlation between the duty cycle and the absorption indicating the production rate of atomic hydrogen is constant over the discharge duration. The dependence of absorption rate upon the discharge power and that upon pressure indicated that the efficiency of the atomic hydrogen production rate tend to saturate at higher power and higher pressure. The wavelength spectrum of Balmer-α light emission showed a possibility that high-speed atomic hydrogen may exist in an intense ECR discharge.

Different forms of the Stark effect can affect the emission of line shapes in a plasma. Alongside the fluctuating microfield created by plasma ions and electrons, one often observes the fingerprints of oscillating electric fields. All these dynamic Stark effects result from random and collective motion of the particles but also from oscillating fields applied from outside the plasma by radiofrequency or laser sources. We here use a computer simulation to accurately capture the complex dynamics affecting the emission of a hydrogen atom in a laboratory or fusion plasma.

We recently reported the quantity values of line intensity for H₂O near 1.393 µm in a manner traceable to the International System of Units (SI). This paper briefly describes how to determine the reliable values of the line intensity, mainly focusing on the SI-traceability.

The temperature dependent shape of quasi-continuum unresolved transition array (UTA) spectra from highly charged heavy ions has been examined based on the experimental spectra recorded in the Large Helical Device plasmas. The observed spectral shape of the n=4–4 UTA emission strongly depends on the electron temperature especially for the lanthanide elements with the atomic numbers of 63 - 66. As the temperature decreases, the UTA position moves to shorter wavelength and the UTA bandwidth becomes narrower. Eventually, characteristic narrowed spectra with the lines of palladium-like and silver-like ions are observed at the lowest peak temperature of a few hundred eV. The temperature dependence of the UTA shape can be explained by the change in ion abundance and the wavelength distributions of the weighted transition probabilities calculated with the Flexible Atomic Code (FAC). A collisional-radiative modeling of the narrowed spectrum for terbium ions is tried based on the FLYCHK code and the FAC. As a result of slight intentional shifts of the calculated line positions, the measured spectrum matches qualitatively with the simulation for the electron temperature of 230 eV.

We investigate extreme-ultra-violet (EUV) emission from laser-produced tin plasmas for its application to microlithography. Strong emission occurs through 4d-4f and 4p-4d transitions, which appear as an unresolved transition array (UTA) due to the effect of configuration interaction (CI). Emissions from 8 to 13 times ionized tin overlap in the same λ=13.5 nm band, and both singly and multiply excited states of each ion contribute to the emission. We develop the collisional radiative model of tin ions, taking into account an appropriate set of atomic states that have a large population to contribute to the emission. The model is being validated through comparisons between the calculated and observed spectrums.

The Stark broadening of a Be II line (1s²3d ²D– 1s²4f ²F, 467.339 nm) under a magnetic field is evaluated with the divertor plasma of ITER in mind. The electron and ion perturbers are treated in the impact and static approximations, respectively. The perturbation term due to the magnetic field is included in the static approximation. The results show that the Stark broadening comes to be significantly large when the density is higher than 10²¹ m^－3, and the ion temperature would be overestimated if the Stark broadening is not taken into account.