Modeling of 110 GHz electron cyclotron wave propagation and absorption on DIII-D

In modeling electron cyclotron (EC) waves for heating (ECH) and current drive (ECCD) applications, the standard approach describes wave propagation using geometric optic ray tracing with cold plasma dispersion and wave absorption using a relativistic warm plasma expression. However, recent vertical O-mode transmission measurements on Tore Supra indicate that wave trajectories near the fundamental resonance frequency can significantly deviate from predictions of cold plasma analysis. The experimental results were attributed to warm plasma refraction effects caused by the anomalous dispersion associated with wave-particle resonance. Here, warm plasma refraction effects on wave propagation and absorption are examined in the context of a slab model in the parameter regime of interest to the upcoming 110 GHz electron cyclotron heating and current drive experiments on DIII-D.