INTERACTION OF MICROWAVE RADIATION WITH A WEAKLY IONIZED GAS
Abstract
Propagation of intense microwaves in a plasma is studied. Simplified considerations are used to study the energy gain of an electron acted on by an alternating electric field, collisions with heavy particles, and collisions with other electrons. The conditions, under which each of these instances is important, are illustrated. The Boltzmann equation is applied to a plasma in which conditions vary slowly compared to the time-variation of the applied microwave field. Elastic, excitation, and ionization collisions are included in the analysis. The currentversus-voltage relation is studied for several idealized collision cross sections under steady state conditions. The dispersion relation is derived, and is found to depend on the electric field intensity. A variational principle is given which may prove useful in finding the ionization rate, using a trial function for the electron velocity distribution function. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Feb 01, 1962
- Accession Number
- AD0285253
Entities
People
- A. Peskoff
Organizations
- General Electric