Electron cyclotron wave propagation, absorption, and backscatter measurements in a laboratory plasma

• Published in: IEEE transactions on plasma science Vol. 21; no. 3; pp. 271 - 281
• Main Authors: Scharer, J.E., Eldridge, O.C., Chang, S.-F.R., Zhang, Y.-S., Bettenhausen, M.H., Lam, N.T.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY IEEE 01.06.1993; Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
• Subjects: 70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY; 700350 - Plasma Production, Heating, Current Drive, & Interactions- (1992-); ABSORPTION; ANTENNAS; Backscatter; BACKSCATTERING; COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS; CYCLOTRON RESONANCE; Cyclotrons; DAMPING; ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT; Electromagnetic heating; ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION; Electromagnetic wave absorption; ELECTRON CYCLOTRON-RESONANCE; Electrons; EVALUATION; Exact sciences and technology; INHOMOGENEOUS PLASMA; Microwave propagation; MICROWAVE RADIATION; Physics; Physics of gases, plasmas and electric discharges; Physics of plasmas and electric discharges; PLASMA; Plasma devices; Plasma measurements; Plasma waves; RADIATIONS; RESONANCE; SCATTERING; SORPTION; WAVE PROPAGATION; Waves, oscillations, and instabilities in plasmas and intense beams; Wave absorption; Helical antenna; Plasma column; Immersed body; Electron cyclotron wave; Wave propagation; Backscattering; Magnetoactive plasma; Ray tracing; Homodyne detection; Experimental study; Dipole antenna
• ISSN: 0093-3813; 1939-9375
• DOI: 10.1109/27.277552

Broadband microwave propagation and absorption processes and backscatter from objects immersed in a magnetized, finite, warm plasma column is addressed. In particular, the propagation, absorption, and backscatter of electron cyclotron waves are measured and compared with bounded vacuum hot plasma wave propagation, absorption, and ray tracing theory. The nonreciprocal nature of the transmission and absorption in an anisotropic plasma is measured. A homodyne technique which isolates the scattering from a single object in the plasma from the scattering from all other objects in the plasma and the walls of the containment device is developed and utilized. The range of absorption frequencies and nonreciprocity of the transmission signal are shown to be well correlated with wave trajectories in the associated regions of the Clemmow-Mullaly-Allis (CMA) diagram. It is shown that quasi-parallel propagation of electron cyclotron waves near resonance is present and that the transverse effects of wavenumber on propagation in the cylindrical plasma are small.< >