Using coherent population trapping in test atoms for magnetic field measurements in toroidal plasmas

A way to measure the profile of the safety factor in toroidal controlled-fusion setups has been developed. The method is based on measuring the ratio of the poloidal magnetic field and the toroidal one locally, based on a modification of the optical resonance-fluorescence signal. The effect of partial suppression of resonance fluorescence is used, which depends on the orientation of the magnetic field relative to the laser beam, and takes place in case of coherent population trapping in test atoms with the Zeeman split-level structure, as affected by double-frequency laser radiation. (C) 2007 American Institute of Physics.