Development of the Megahertz Planar Laser-induced Fluorescence Diagnostic for Plasma Turbulence Visualization
Authors: Aleksey Kuritsyn and Fred M. Levinton
Date of PPPL Report: April 2004
Published in: Rev. Sci. Instrum. 75:10 (October 2004) 4115-4117;
Presented at the 15th Topical Conference on High-temperature Plasma Diagnostics (19-22 April 2004, San Diego, CA).
A megahertz LIF-based diagnostic system for measuring ion density fluctuations in two spatial dimensions is described. Well resolved spatial and temporal 2D images of turbulent structures will be useful in understanding ion turbulence in magnetically confined plasmas which is a key factor in the performance of fusion experimental devices. A sheet beam of a megahertz repetition rate tunable Alexandrite laser is used to excite ion emission from argon plasma. The fluorescence emitted from the plane of the laser beam is detected with a narrow band interference filter and intensified ultra-fast CCD camera providing 2D images of relative ion density fluctuations every microsecond. It is expected that the edge plasma on fusion devices will be accessible to this technique.