Numerical Computation and Analysis on Radiation Field of the Plasma Column

Abstract

There are many ways to excite the plasma, surface waves can be used to excite the plasma from a single end. One of them is by means of capacitively coupled low-pressure Radio-frequency (RF) discharge, plasma surfaces can be suspended in free space to serve as antenna elements. The surface wave driven plasma antenna produces sufficiently low noise so as to be useful for broadcast communications. When frequencies well below the plasma frequency, the plasma surface wave also propagates near the speed of Light just as on a metal-dielectric interface. According to opproach of radiation pattern of metal, the radiation patterns of travelling wave and standing wave transmitting in a column plasma in simple conditions are calculated. When relevant parameters like plasma density are changed, radiation pattern also changes correspondingly. Compared with metal, there are similar results. Using wave vector from dispersion relation of the plasma surface wave for an ideal column plasma, radiation pattern will change greaterly compared with radiation pattern in metal. Radiation pattern of plasma column can be controlled by changing plasma parameters, so utilizing plasma to transmitting the signal, there are certain reference meanings.