Improved core high-harmonic fast wave (HHFW) heating at longer wavelengths and during
start-up and plasma current ramp-up has now been obtained by lowering the edge density
with lithium wall conditioning, thereby moving the critical density for perpendicular fast-wave
propagation away from the vessel wall. Lithium conditioning allowed significant HHFW core
electron heating of deuterium neutral beam injection (NBI) fuelled H-mode plasmas to be
observed for the first time. Large edge localized modes were observed immediately after the …