Real plasma effects of microwave radiation propagating perpendicular to a magnetized plasma

Abstract

Microwave absorption near electron cyclotron resonance has been investigated in a magnetized plasma over a wide range of frequencies, from 2 to 18 GHz. A network analyzer that is capable of swept frequency measurements and of measuring reflection and transmission coefficients over these frequencies with 80-dB dynamic range has been used. The classical penning discharge used to generate the plasma consists of a uniform magnetic field with a maximum value of 0.195 T. An approximately 12-cm-diameter and 118-cm-long steady-state plasma column is generated with a characteristic density of a few times 10/sup 9/ electrons/cm/sup 3/ and electron kinetic temperatures of a few tens of electron volts. Axial and radial Langmuir probes are used to measure electron number density and kinetic temperature.<>