Particle simulations on propagation and resonance of lower hybrid wave launched by phased array antenna in linear devices

In this work, we performed first-principles electromagnetic-kinetic simulations to study a phased antenna array and its interaction with deuterium plasmas within the lower hybrid range of frequency. We first gave wave accessibility and resonance results, which agree well with theoretical prediction. In addition, we further investigated the antenna power spectrum with different antenna phases in the presence of the plasma and compared it with that in a vacuum, which directly indicates wave coupling and plasma absorption. Furthermore, for the case with zero phasing difference, our simulation results show that, albeit the launch is away from the accessibility region, tunneling effect and mode conversion occurred, which enhanced coupling and absorption. Moreover, consistent interactions between the injected wave and the plasma concerning various antenna phase differences are shown. We presented the inchoate response of the plasma in terms of the launching directions. Our results could be favorable for the engineering design of wave heating experiments with a tunable phased antenna array in linear devices, such as simple magnetic mirrors or tandem mirrors.

Automated summary

In this study, we used first-principles electromagnetic-kinetic simulations to investigate the interaction between a phased antenna array and deuterium plasmas in the lower hybrid range of frequency. Our results showed good agreement with theoretical predictions in terms of wave accessibility and resonance. We also found that the power spectrum of the antenna changed when the plasma was present, indicating wave coupling and plasma absorption. Our findings provide valuable insights for the engineering design of wave heating experiments using phased antenna arrays.