Introduction of a new experimental device for simulating parasitic plasmas such as those expected under the divertor dome

A low temperature plasma reactor has been developed to simulate some of the plasma/surface processes that can occur under the divertor and in the far scrape-off layer regions of tokamaks. This CASIMIR (Chemical Ablation, Sputtering, Ionization, Multi-wall Interaction and Redeposition) device is envisioned as an ITER divertor dome simulator. The goal is to address issues related to the chemistry of hydrocarbon erosion products, along with transport, transformation, and redeposition of these products in parasitic plasma environments, as already observed in different tokamaks and expected in ITER. In this paper, we will first describe the apparatus, as well as the plasma diagnostics implemented on the reactor. We will then show, by means of optical emission spectroscopy, electrical probe, and mass-spectrometry measurements that the CASIMIR device is able to generate plasma flow in accordance with the plasma characteristics simulated for parasitic discharges under the divertor roof baffle.