Kinetic description of propagation and absorption structures of icrf waves

Propagation and absorption of waves in the ion cyclotron range of frequencies (ICRF) are investigated using the kinetic theory in a high-temperature plasma. The wave equation which includes kinetic effects (such as finite-gyroradius effect and wave/particle interactions) is solved as a boundary-value problem for a two-ion-component plasma (majority deuterium and minority hydrogen) with one-dimensional inhomogeneities. The global structure of the wave field and the absorption mechanism are explained. The power deposition profile for each plasma species and the coupling to the antenna are obtained. The mode conversion of the fast wave to the ion Bernstein wave is associated with the two-ion hybrid resonance, and the latter is absorbed by electrons and deuterons via Landau damping and collisional damping, respectively. Protons absorb the wave which tunnels through the cut-off layer (for strong-field-side excitations) by cyclotron damping. The existence of cavity resonances is also confirmed; these considerably influence the energy absorption.