Plasma confinement by high-power excitation in a waveguide

Journal Article · Sat Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1977 · J. Appl. Phys.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.323310· OSTI ID:7329570

Sodha, M S; Tewari, D P; Tripathi, V K; Patheja, B L

Under TE/sub 20/ mode excitation, the electric field in a rectangular waveguide is minimum at the center and has two intensity maxima at intermediate points. Consequently, the plasma electrons experience a strong ponderomotive force and are redistributed to assemble around intensity minima. A self-consistent solution of the wave equation for this problem reveals that the plasma density around intensity minima may be enhanced by a factor of 10 for accessible rf power. It also suggests that the electromagnetic waves of frequency less than the plasma frequency ..omega../sub p/ can penetrate a dense plasma. In a collisional plasma, the redistribution of electrons is predominantly caused by their inhomogeneous heating by the wave. The confinement in this case may be attained at much lower powers. (AIP)

• Research Organization: Department of Physics, Indian Institute of Technology, New Delhi-110029, India
• OSTI ID: 7329570
• Journal Information: J. Appl. Phys.; (United States), Journal Name: J. Appl. Phys.; (United States) Vol. 48:1; ISSN JAPIA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
700101* -- Fusion Energy-- Plasma Research-- Confinement
Heating
& Production
COLLISIONAL PLASMA
COLLISIONLESS PLASMA
CONFINEMENT
DISPERSION RELATIONS
ELECTRIC FIELDS
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
ENERGY-LEVEL TRANSITIONS
EXCITATION
HEATING
MICROWAVE RADIATION
PLASMA
PLASMA CONFINEMENT
PLASMA DENSITY
PLASMA HEATING
PULSES
RADIATIONS
WAVE PROPAGATION
WAVEGUIDES