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Title: Self-Induced Transparency and Electromagnetic Pulse Compression in a Plasma or an Electron Beam under Cyclotron Resonance Conditions

Journal Article · · Physical Review Letters
; ;  [1]
  1. Institute of Applied Physics, RAS, GSP-120 N. Novgorod (Russian Federation)

Based on analogy to the well-known process of the self-induced transparency of an optical pulse propagating through a passive two-level medium we describe similar effects for a microwave pulse interacting with a cold plasma or rectilinear electron beam under cyclotron resonance condition. It is shown that with increasing amplitude and duration of an incident pulse the linear cyclotron absorption is replaced by the self-induced transparency when the pulse propagates without damping. In fact, the initial pulse decomposes to one or several solitons with amplitude and duration defined by its velocity. In a certain parameter range, the single soliton formation is accompanied by significant compression of the initial electromagnetic pulse. We suggest using the effect of self-compression for producing multigigawatt picosecond microwave pulses.

OSTI ID:
21554503
Journal Information:
Physical Review Letters, Vol. 105, Issue 26; Other Information: DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.105.265001; (c) 2010 American Institute of Physics; ISSN 0031-9007
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English