Recent JT-60U experimental results towards the establishment of advanced tokamak (AT) operation are reviewed. We focused on the further expansion of the operational regime of AT plasmas towards higher βN regime with wall stabilization. After the installation of ferritic steel tiles in 2005, the high power heating in a large plasma cross-section in which the wall stabilization is expected has been possible. In 2007, the modification of power supply of NBIs improved the flexibility of the heating profile in long-pulse plasmas. The investigation of key physics issues for the establishment of steady-state AT operation is also in progress using new diagnostics and improved heating systems. In weak magnetic shear plasma, high βN ∼ 3 exceeding the ideal MHD limit without a conducting wall () is sustained for ∼5 s (∼3τR) with RWM stabilization by a toroidal rotation at the q = 2 surface. External current drivers of negative-ion based NB and lower-hybrid waves together with a large bootstrap current fraction (fBS) of 0.5 can sustain the whole plasma current of 0.8 MA for 2 s (1.5τR). In reversed magnetic shear plasma, high βN ∼ 2.7 (βp ∼ 2.3) exceeding with qmin ∼ 2.4 (q95 ∼ 5.3), HH98(y,2) ∼ 1.7 and fBS ∼ 0.9 is obtained with wall stabilization. These plasma parameters almost satisfy the requirement of ITER steady-state scenario. In long-pulse plasmas with positive magnetic shear, a high βNHH98(y,2) of 2.6 with βN ∼ 2.6 and HH98(y,2) ∼ 1 is sustained for 25 s, significantly longer than the current diffusion time (∼14τR) without neoclassical tearing modes (NTMs). A high G-factor, (a major of fusion gain), of 0.54 and a large fBS > 0.43 are suitable for ITER hybrid operation scenario. Based on the plasma for ITER hybrid operation scenario, the high βN of 2.1 with good thermal plasma confinement of HH98(y,2) > 0.85 is sustained for longer than 12 s at and frad > 0.79. Physics studies for the development of AT plasmas, physics studies of H-mode, pedestal and ELM characteristics and physics studies on impurity transport, SOL/divertor plasmas and plasma–wall interactions are also in progress. The active NTM stabilization system using modulated ECCD, which is synchronized to rotating island, has been developed and the efficiency of modulated ECCD in m/n = 2/1 NTM stabilization has been demonstrated. The intrinsic toroidal rotation driven by the ion pressure gradient and by the ECH is confirmed. The dedicated H-mode and pedestal experiments indicate two scalings, H-factor evaluated for the core plasma as and pedestal width scaling of . New fast diagnostics with high spatial and temporal resolutions reveals the different structures of pedestal pressure between co- and counter-rotating plasma, resulting in different ELM sizes determined by the radial penetration depth of the ELM crash. The tungsten accumulation becomes more significant with increasing toroidal rotation in the counter-direction.
Design optimization for plasma performance and assessment of operation regimes in JT-60SA