PMT Signal Transmission for Hard X-Ray Diagnostics of Future Tokamaks

Abstract

A pair of a scintillator and a Photomultiplier Tube (PMT) is often used as a Hard X-Ray (HXR) radiation detector in existing tokamaks such as JET, EAST, COMPASS or ASDEX-U. Future nuclear fusion reactors such as ITER or DEMO will use more powerful magnets and confine a larger volume of hot plasma. Placement of the detectors used for plasma diagnostic will be constrained by high temperatures, magnetic fields and ionizing radiation present near the tokamak vessel. It might be necessary to move detectors away from tokamak to a safer location. This might generate problems with pulse discrimination and transmission of the signal. In the case of the ITER tokamak, sensitive electronics such as digitizers cannot be installed close to the reactor due to harsh environmental conditions. A new approach to component placement is needed to protect those devices. The PMT signal will be transmitted via an over 100 m long coaxial cable to the digitizer located in the adjacent diagnostic building. The long cables will introduce additional signal attenuation. Also, the RF noise from the tokamak environment can couple into the signal. To improve the signal-to-noise ratio a dedicated PMT amplifier with a high output range (from + 1.5 to − 11 V) was proposed.The paper presents issues with signal transmission in HXR diagnostic systems and includes a discussion on the methodology of PMT signal transmission in the conditions of the future tokamaks. A proposal of guidelines for selection of the signal chain components and design of a dedicated PMT amplifier is part of this paper.