| Issue |
EPJ Web Conf.
Volume 346, 2026
25th Topical Conference on Radio-Frequency Power in Plasmas (RFPPC2025)
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Article Number | 03001 | |
| Number of page(s) | 13 | |
| Section | Radio-Frequency and Microwave Diagnostics and Technology | |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1051/epjconf/202634603001 | |
| Published online | 07 January 2026 | |
https://doi.org/10.1051/epjconf/202634603001
40 years of ICRF operation on JET: Challenges and achievements
1 LPP-ERM/KMS, B-1000 Brussels, Belgium, TEC partner
2 UKAEA, Culham Centre for Fusion Energy, Abingdon, OX13 3DB, United Kingdom
3 See author list of C.F. Maggi et al 2024 Nucl. Fusion 64 112012
4 See author list of E. Joffrin et al., 2024 Nucl. Fusion 64 112019
* Corresponding author: pierre.dumortier@rma.ac.be
Published online: 7 January 2026
After 40 years of successful operation and multiple Deuterium-Tritium (D-T) campaigns, the Joint European Torus (JET) concluded its operations in December 2023. From the outset, Ion Cyclotron Range of Frequency (ICRF) heating was identified as a key auxiliary heating system, with the first ICRF system becoming operational in 1985. This system underwent significant development, culminating in a high-power (32 MW installed), wideband (23-57 MHz range), and highly versatile system. This contribution provides an overview of the JET RF system’s evolution over its lifetime, highlighting selected operational challenges and technological achievements. It addresses the rationale behind the development and operation of the ICRF system, including the implementation and operation of load-resilient systems (3 dB hybrid coupler, External Conjugate-T, ILA), as well as the operational limits and system protection measures, such as the specific mode of operation for Ion Cyclotron Wall Conditioning (ICWC). The impact of transitioning from a carbon wall to the JET-ILW metal wall (tungsten divertor and beryllium first wall) on the system’s operation and the challenges posed by D-T operations are also emphasized. Finally, key lessons learned from the technical challenges, constraints, and achievements of the JET experience are highlighted, with an eye towards the design and operation of ICRF systems in future machines.
© The Authors, published by EDP Sciences, 2026
This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License 4.0, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
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