An improved energy confinement regime, I-mode is studied in Alcator C-Mod, a compact high-field divertor tokamak using Ion Cyclotron Range of Frequencies (ICRF) auxiliary heating. I-mode features an edge energy transport barrier without an accompanying particle barrier, leading to several performance benefits. H-mode energy confinement is obtained without core impurity accumulation, resulting in reduced impurity radiation with a high-Z metal wall and ICRF heating. I-mode has a stationary temperature pedestal with Edge Localized Modes (ELMs) typically absent, while plasma density is controlled using divertor cryopumping. I-mode is a confinement regime that appears distinct from both L-mode and H-mode, combining the most favorable elements of both. The I-mode regime is obtained predominately with ion ∇B drift away from the active X-point. The transition from L-mode to I-mode is primarily identified by the formation of a high temperature edge pedestal, while the edge density profile remains nearly identical to Lmode. Laser blowoff injection shows that I-mode core impurity confinement times are nearly identical with those in L-mode, despite the enhanced energy confinement. In addition a weakly coherent edge MHD mode is apparent at high frequency ~ 100-300 kHz which appears to increase particle transport in the edge. The I-mode regime has been obtained over a wide parameter space (B=3-6 T, I p =0.7-1.3 MA, q 95 =2.5-5). In general the I-mode exhibits the strongest edge T pedestal and normalized energy confinement (H 98 >1) at low q 95 (<3.5) and high heating power (P heat > 4 MW). I-mode significantly expands the operational space of ELM-free, stationary pedestals in C-Mod to T ped~1 keV and low collisionality ν* ped~0 .1, as compared to EDA H-mode with T ped < 0.6 keV, ν* ped >1. The I-mode global energy confinement has a relatively weak degradation with heating power; W th ~ I p P heat 0.7 leading to increasing H 98 with heating power.2

We report extended studies of the I-mode regime [D. G. Whyte et al Nucl. . This regime, usually accessed with unfavorable ion B×∇B drift, features an edge thermal transport barrier without a strong particle transport barrier. Steady I-modes have now been obtained with favorable B×∇B drift, by using specific plasma shapes, as well as with unfavorable drift over a wider range of shapes and plasma parameters. With favorable drift, power thresholds are close to the standard scaling for L-H transitions, while with unfavorable drift they are ~1.5-3 times higher, increasing with I p . Global energy confinement in both drift configurations is comparable to H-mode scalings, while density profiles and impurity confinement are close to those in L-mode. Transport analysis of the edge region shows a decrease in edge χ eff , by typically a factor of 3, between L-and I-mode. The decrease correlates with a drop in mid-frequency fluctuations (f~50-150 kHz), observed on both density and magnetics diagnostics. Edge fluctuations at higher frequencies often increase above L-mode levels, peaking at f ~250 kHz. This weakly coherent mode is clearest and has narrowest width (Δf/f ~0.45) at low q 95 and high T ped , up to 1 keV. The E r well in I-mode is intermediate between L-and H-mode and is dominated by the diamagnetic contribution in the impurity radial force balance, without the V pol shear typical of H-modes.

A new “Mirror Langmuir Probe” diagnostic, combined with a double-coil scanning magnetic probe, is used to interrogate Alcator C-Mod's quasi-coherent mode (QCM) with unprecedented detail. In ohmic EDA H-modes, the QCM is found to reside in a region of positive radial electric field, with a radial width (∼3 mm) that spans open and closed field line regions. Large amplitude, in-phase sinusoidal bursts (∼100 kHz) in density, electron temperature, and plasma potential are observed, with potential lagging density by ∼16°, producing an outward radial transport velocity of ∼10 m/s. Mode propagation corresponds to the sum of local E × B and electron diamagnetic drift velocities. Poloidal magnetic field fluctuations project to current filaments carrying peak current densities of ∼25 A/cm2. An evaluation of parallel electron force balance (Ohm's law) over a fluctuation cycle indicates a significant electromotive component. Interchange drive is also a contributor in the current continuity (vorticity) equation. Thus, the QCM is primarily a separatrix-spanning electron drift-wave with interchange and electromagnetic contributions.