A Self-calibration Method for the Edge Thomson Scattering Diagnostic in ITER

Calibration of spectral transmissivity of the collection and transmission optics is one of the most crucial issues for the Thomson scattering diagnostic system. Radioactivation of the vacuum vessel in ITER makes it difficult to calibrate spectral transmissivity in areas near the vacuum vessel. By using an additional calibration laser whose wavelength differs from those of the diagnostic laser and equipping two lasers with Thomson scattering lights, we can obtain the electron temperature and the relative transmissivity of each spectral channel of the polychromator from the Thomson scattering signal itself. A ruby laser is a promising candidate as a calibration laser because the wavelength does not diverge greatly from that of a diagnostic laser and from the lower limit of an observable wavelength. Even if the signal-noise ratio degrades, the available electron temperature data during calibration operations remain largely unaffected. A degrading signal-noise ratio increases statistical error in electron temperature data and relative spectral transmissivity. Even when the spectral transmissivity is unknown, electron temperature data may be obtained within a 10% margin of error, which fulfills the requirements for edge electron temperature measurement in ITER.