Reflectometry for Wendelstein 7-X

Diagnostic equipment for the fully optimized stellarator Wendelstein 7-X involves a reflectometry system dedicated to measuring edge density profiles and characterizing density perturbations and their poloidal propagation velocity. Preparatory work such as design activities and the installation of a first antenna pair belongs to the so-called start-up diagnostics. For start-up a high-directivity broadband dual antenna arrangement is proposed where the optimization of the beam waists can be decoupled from the variable sightlines, which offers flexibility for the different modes of reflectometer operation. It is shown that for large devices such as W7-X the critical value for an optimum antenna arrangement is the aperture of the first plasma facing optical element, usually a first mirror, rather than the limitations arising from the finite plasma curvature.