Progress in theoretical models of the ICRF mode conversion

Journal article, 2011

The technique of heating the plasma with the electromagnetic waves in the ion cyclotron range of frequencies (ICRF) has many important applications that may lead to improved performance of tokamaks. Recently the heating efficiency of the ICRF mode conversion scenarios characterized by a narrow power deposition profiles received much attention. This paper highlights progress in the theoretical models of the ICRF mode conversion that allowed to achieve a successful experimental realisation of these scenarios in present-day tokamaks.