Electron cyclotron current drive experiments on T-10

The results of electron current drive experiments on the T-10 tokamak are presented. The total RF power was up to 2.5 MW, the electron temperature was up to 7 keV and the maximum driven current was 110 kA. The current drive efficiency ηCD was approximately 0.1 A/W. The value of ηCD and its dependence on the plasma parameters agree satisfactorily with the linear theory, corrected for the finite confinement time of resonant electrons. In discharges with large beta poloidal, βp ≈ 3, complete replacement of the inductive current by noninductive electron cyclotron current drive and bootstrap current was obtained