Far-infrared imaging of tokamak plasma

Abstract

A 20-channel interferometer has been developed which utilizes a linear, one-dimensional microbolometer array to obtain single-shot density profiles from the UCLA Microtor tokamak plasma. The interferometer has been used to study time-dependent phenomena in the plasma density profile. Observations of the sawtooth instability clearly show the growth of the m=0 mode from a localized oscillation (r=1 cm) on axis to an oscillation of the entire plasma. Also, measurements during the initial startup phase of the discharge show evidence of hollow density profiles. In addition, a simultaneous measurement of the poloidal magnetic field has been developed which provides 20 channels of polarimetry. Interferometry and polarimetry both use the same imaging system and the spatial resolution of both measurements has been tested using plastic and crystal-quartz test objects. The signal-to-noise ratio for the polarimeter has also proved adequate for the expected Faraday rotation angle (alphamax=7°, Ip=70 kA, n=5×10^13 cm^−3).