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STUDY OF TECHNIQUES FOR A HIGH POWER, FAST WAVE PLASMA CYCLOTRON AMPLIFIER. Third Quarterly Interim Engineering Report

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:4687671
; ;
The basis of fast wave cyclotron amplification is reviewed, and research on the cyclotron gain mechanism in a gas mixture exhibiting negative differential conductivity under conditions of the d-c pumping field in the direction of the B field and the cyclotron field perpendicular to it is reported. Electron behavior of plasmas of such mixtures in magnetic fields (ambipolar diffusion, average energy, etc.) is treated. Curves giving the drift velocities for Ar-CO/sub 2/ and Xe-CO/sub 2/ mixtures are included. The Xe--CO/sub 2/ seems most promising for ambipolar diffusion biasing. The design of a microwave cavity that operates in the TE/sub 111/ mode in a circular cylindrical cavity at 3 Bc, and its associated plasma tube, are discussed. The arrangement to be used in observing gain in the plasma tube is described along with the vaccuum system for the assembly. Preliminary studies of gas breakdown in a tube by a d-c voltage indicate a plasma with a quiet mode of operation and with no instabilities. Nonuniformity of the plasma and cathode sputtering were, however, observed, but were overcome by exciting the plasma by r-f osscillations. The TE/sub 111/ mode was observed in the cavity without the plasma tube at 3.00 Bc; with the plasma tube the TE/sub 111/ modes appeared at 2.860 and 3.040 Bc. A d-c discharge in the plasma tube resulted in cathode sputtering that damped out the desired mode. This was overcome by r-f excitation of the plasma. (D.C.W.)
Research Organization:
Elcon Lab., Inc., Watertown, Mass.
NSA Number:
NSA-17-027650
OSTI ID:
4687671
Report Number(s):
AD-297382
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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Related Subjects

AMPLIFIERS
ARGON
CARBON DIOXIDE
CATHODES
DIFFUSION
ELECTRIC POTENTIAL
INSTRUMENTS AND INSTRUMENTATION
MAGNETIC FIELDS
MICROWAVES
OSCILLATIONS
PLASMA
SPUTTERING
XENON