Microwave heating of electrons of a dense plasma column at frequencies higher than electron cyclotron frequency

In the overdense collisionless plasma column inserted through the narrow sides of a rectangular waveguide, the excited electron cyclotron harmonic waves (CHWs) are studied by means of two movable probes and a phase interferometer in the range of parameters of 2 >ω/ω _ce >1; 0·5 < (ω _pe /ω)² < 15. Two kinds of CH waves have been found in the dipole mode:

1. Stable backward CH waves with the phase velocity in the direction from the axis to the periphery.
2. Unstable backward CH waves with the phase velocity in the opposite direction.

From the correlation measurements and amplitude distribution of the CH waves at the applied frequency and its second harmonic frequency it has been found that in the range of 2 >ω/ω _ce > >1·5 efficient nonlinear resonant interaction of CH waves takes place. The position of the loci of resonant interaction inside the plasma column has been found both experimentally and by a simple new graphical procedure for the resonant conditions of the formω ₂=2ω ₁; k₂=2¦k₁¦. In absence of this condition, no effective generation of the second harmonic frequency has been found. The resonant interaction of CHWs atω/ω _ce =1·85 is the cause of self-trapping of CH waves between the zones of resonant interaction in radial direction and of the anomalous heating rate of electrons.