Conversion Between Cold Plasma Modes in an Inhomogeneous Plasma

摘要

For a particular angle of incidence, it is possible for an ordinary mode electromagnetic wave, incident on an inhomogeneous plasma slab, to be totally converted into extraordinary mode. Previous analysis of this process has been extended to permit arbitrary angle of incidence and to include magnetic field gradients. Although this process has recently been proposed as a method by which toroidal plasmas might be electron cyclotron heated from the outside (low magnetic field region), it was found that for plasma parameters characteristic of modern tokamaks significant mode conversion occurs only for waves incident within a very narrow cone (delta theta approximately 1 exp 0 ) about the critical angle. Also addressed in this paper is the question of the location at which ordinary/extraordinary mode conversion occurs. (ERA citation 04:004767)