R&D activities on RF contacts for the ITER ion cyclotron resonance heating launcher

Abstract Embedded RF contacts are integrated within the ITER ICRH launcher to allow assembling, sliding and to lower the thermo-mechanical stress. They have to withstand a peak RF current up to 2.5 kA at 55 MHz in steady-state conditions, in the vacuum environment of the machine. The contacts have to sustain a temperature up to 250 °C during several days in baking operations and have to be reliable during the whole life of the launcher without degradation. The RF contacts are critical components for the launcher performance and intensive R&D is therefore required, since no RF contacts have so far been qualified at these specifications. In order to test and validate the anticipated RF contacts in operational conditions, CEA has prepared a test platform consisting of a steady-state vacuum pumped RF resonator. In collaboration with ITER Organization and the CYCLE consortium (CYclotron CLuster for Europe), an R&D program has been conducted to develop RF contacts that meet the ITER ICRH launcher specifications. A design proposed by CYCLE consortium, using brazed lamellas supported by a spring to improve thermal exchange efficiency while guaranteeing high contact force, was tested successfully in the T-resonator up to 1.7 kA during 1200 s, but failed for larger current values due to a degradation of the contacts. Details concerning the manufacturing of the brazed contacts on its titanium holder, the RF tests results performed on the resonator and the non-destructive tests analysis of the contacts are given in this paper.