Research
Terahertz waves lie between the optical and the microwave spectrum and cannot be efficiently generated by either scaling down optical sources like lasers or scaling up conventional microwave sources such as klystrons. Current moderate size terahertz sources such as traditional BWO can only generate a few milliwatts of average power and hence require expensive and complicated schemes for detection. At the same time proposed Clinotron oscillators allow one to operate with significantly increased output power in THz range in comparison with BWO with the same frequency ranges and power supply parameters. Frequency tunability of Clinotron oscillators in a wideband allows Customers to easily adjust the output signal parameters with high precision.
The Gyrotron, most powerful Maser on Cyclotron Resonance (MCR), is an extremely effective device used to generate high power microwave radiation. It is used in microwave heating of thermonuclear plasma, RADAR and other industrial applications. However, the Gyrotron has one basic problem. It requires relativistic (very high energy) electrons. These require very high voltages to produce, and in turn, relativistic electrons produce intense and dangerous X-rays. Our research aim is to investigate an alternate method of gyrotron operation that does not require high voltages. We have also constructed a low voltage MCR that operates at 2,100 Volts, produces 8 GHz at a magnetic field of 0,3 T. In principle, the device should operate at even lower voltages.
Experimental investigation of surface waves propagating along single conductor Goubau line and exciting torch MW discharge of erosion type is described. Two typical operating modes of the line are described: the case when it is like the rodantenna and the case when it transmits MW energy via surface plasmon polariton to the load, which is MW plasma. The description of MW setup features and additional elements for transmitted energy measurements in setup external circuit are given. The prospect of Goubau line application as transmitting line of MW energy in wide frequency range and also several possible prctical applications of the line in new material processing and semiconductor devices have been discussed.
Investigations on the plasma instability states allow one to determine the main characteristics of the weakly ionized plasma existing in the magneto-hydrodynamic energy generators, plasma waveguides, gas lasers and in other devices. We investigate the applicability of Doppler radar method to the investigation the plasma parameters. At first stage we have considered the method of remote measurement of the parameters of weakly ionized plasma arising in the noise generators (NG), with the use of a homodyne two-frequency Doppler radar. This method is applied for analysis of more complex plasma formations.
In recent years a dramatic interest has been shown in a series of electric discharge effects that occur in different media. Specifically in several papers one of the techniques for creating a plasmoid (the counterpart of a globe-lightning) in a water-air medium by the action of an electrical discharge has been proposed and realized and, for that matter, a mechanism of its existence is described. A generated cold plasma bunch, i.e., a plasmoid, whose internal energy is not sufficient to ionize its molecules, and the duration of its existence being governed by the energy it had gained in its initiation. Note that in the work by P.L. Kapitsa a model of definite interest has been examined. An intriguing approach explaining the existence time of a globe-lightning due to certain chemical processes has been suggested by V.P. Smirnov. Our research is focused both on investigating the weak-energy discharge conditions in water, which allow plasmoid excitation and on the specific features of plasmoid glow.