Scattering of a CO/sub 2/ laser beam by microscopic fluctuations in plasma density

Journal Article · Sat Sep 01 04:00:00 EDT 1979 · Sov. Phys. - Tech. Phys. (Engl. Transl.); (United States)

OSTI ID:5470889

Bulanin, V V; Zhilinskii, A P; Petrov, A V; Ushakov, S N

Experimental data are reported on the scattering of a CO/sub 2/ laser beam by azimuthal waves in a high-current, hollow-cathode arc in a magnetic field. The pulsed discharge current is 1 kA, the argon pressure is 6x10/sup -4/ torr, and the magnetic field is 1450 Oe. The plasma density at the axis is 10/sup 14/ cm/sup -3/ and the electron temperature is 6--8 eV. An instability occurs in the plasma; preliminary data on the instability have been obtained with a probe. The wave spectrum extends from 0.5 to 25 MHz. The perturbations propagate in the azimuthal direction. The high-frequency part of the wave spectrum is studied by measuring the small-angle scattering (5--30 mrad) of the 40--kW beam from a CO/sub 2/ TEA laser. The signal is detected by a homodyne method; the reference signal is the scattered light. The angular distribution of the scattered light corresponds to the scattering by plasma waves which propagate across the magnetic field. The dispersion relation is inferred from the deformation of the temporal spectrum of the plasma waves observed at various scattering angles. The phase velocity is the range 5x10/sup 5/--10/sup 6/ cm/sec.

• Research Organization: M. I. Kalinin Leningrad Polytechnical Institute
• OSTI ID: 5470889
• Journal Information: Sov. Phys. - Tech. Phys. (Engl. Transl.); (United States), Journal Name: Sov. Phys. - Tech. Phys. (Engl. Transl.); (United States) Vol. 24:9; ISSN SPTPA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640420* -- Fluid Physics-- Properties & Structure of Fluids-- (-1987)
75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
ANGULAR DISTRIBUTION
BEAM-PLASMA SYSTEMS
CARBON DIOXIDE LASERS
CURRENTS
DISPERSION RELATIONS
DISTRIBUTION
ELECTRIC ARCS
ELECTRIC CURRENTS
ELECTRIC DISCHARGES
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
ELECTRON TEMPERATURE
ENERGY RANGE
EV RANGE
EV RANGE 01-10
FLUCTUATIONS
GAS LASERS
INSTABILITY
LASER RADIATION
LASERS
MAGNETIC FIELDS
NONLINEAR PROBLEMS
PLASMA DENSITY
PLASMA DIAGNOSTICS
PLASMA INSTABILITY
PLASMA WAVES
RADIATIONS
SCATTERING
VARIATIONS