Loads due to stray microwave radiation in ITER

High-power microwaves generated by gyrotrons will be extensively used in ITER for a variety of purposes such as assisting plasma breakdown, plasma heating, current drive, tearing mode suppression and as a probing beam for the Collective Thomson Scattering diagnostic. In a number of these schemes absorption of the microwaves by the plasma will not be full and in some cases there could be no absorption at all. This may result in a directed beam with a high microwave power flux or – depending on location and plasma conditions – an approximately isotropic microwave power field. The contribution of electron cyclotron emission to these power densities is briefly discussed. Exposure to in-vessel components leads to absorption by metals and ceramics. In this paper microwave power densities are estimated and, following a brief review of absorption, thermal loads on in-vessel components are assessed. The paper is concluded by a discussion of the current approach to control such loads.