Coherent Excitation of Optical Oscillations in a Metal Nanosphere by a 2D Electric Current

We propose a new concept of localized surface plasmon polariton (SPP) mode excitation in a spherical nanoparticle, which utilizes a collective mechanism of dissipative instability in an adjacent 2D plasma carrying a DC electric current. We show that 2D DC current becomes unstable at optical frequencies when the drift velocity exceeds the speed of sound in the 2D plasma. Dissipative instability emerges as a result of self-consistent 2D plasma oscillations coupled to the electromagnetic modes of the nanosphere, the material of which is absorbing at given frequency (i.e., the dielectric permittivity Imε > 0), and instability is absent in the case of transparent material. We derive the dispersion equation for this dissipative instability by a self-consistent solution of the Maxwell equations for the electromagnetic modes and the hydrodynamic equations for the 2D plasma current. Our estimates demonstrate attainment of very high instability increments Imω ~ 10¹⁵ s^?1, which makes the proposed concept very promising for excitation of plasmonic nanoantennas.     

Generation of a continuum and stimulated Raman scattering harmonics during scattering of electromagnetic radiation of relativistic intensity

A theory of the propagation instability of plane, monochromatic, circularly polarized electromagnetic waves of relativistic intensity in matter is developed for a spatially three-dimensional geometry including arbitrary polarization of the scattered radiation. Harmonic generation owing to striction and relativistic nonlinearity is examined, as well as scattering owing to electron recoil, the decay instability of the harmonics with formation of scattered electromagnetic waves (Stokes components of the stimulated Raman scattering and plasmons), the interaction of electromagnetic waves in the plasma (antistokes stimulated Raman scattering), and the generation of a radiative continuum. The transition of the three-dimensional theory to a one-dimensional problem in the nonrelativistic limit is discussed. Zh. éksp. Teor. Fiz. 113, 2034–2046 (June 1998)     

Nonlinear theory of beam excitation of azimuthal surface modes in plasma-filled cylindrical metal waveguides

It is shown that electromagnetic surface waves propagating along the azimuthal angle can be excited efficiently by an annular electron beam in a cylindrical metal waveguide partially filled with a magnetoactive plasma. A self-consistent system of differential equations is obtained to describe the nonlinear interaction between the beam particles and an azimuthal surface wave in the single-mode regime. This system of equations is analyzed numerically and the influence of the parameters of this waveguide structure on the development of the resonant beam instability is determined. Zh. Tekh. Fiz. 69, 84–88 (July 1999)     

Flow-shear instability of a potential hump in hot plasma

Low-frequency instability arising in hot magnetized plasma with a hump-shaped transverse profile of the potential has been observed experimentally. As a result of the instability, the plasma in the region of the maximum of the potential decomposes into an array of dense plasmoids and deep rarefactions. The instability is due to nonuniform E×B drift and is apparently a Rayleigh instability which reaches a strongly nonlinear stage. In the process, strong transverse transport arises, resulting in plasma losses. Pis’ma Zh. éksp. Teor. Fiz. 64, No. 3, 134–139 (10 August 1996)     

Nonlocal theory of stimulated Raman backscattering in a strongly magnetized plasma

A nonlocal theory of stimulated Raman backscattering (BSRS) parametric instability of a large amplitude electromagnetic (EM) mode in a strongly magnetized plasma e.g., one encountered in a plasma filled backward wave oscillator, is reported. The EM mode is unstable to parametric instability in a magnetized plasma and decays into a Trivelpiece-Gould (TG) mode and a sideband EM mode. The growth rate of instability (Γ) scales proportional to three-fourth power of plasma density. For a typical BWO the growth rate is ∼10⁸ s^-1     

Theory of stimulated nonresonant emission from relativistic beams

A study is made of the radiative Pierce instability of a relativistic electron beam in a waveguide stabilized by an infinitely strong magnetic field. Analytical and computational methods are used to determine the growth rate of the instability, as well as the efficiency for conversion of the beam energy into electromagnetic field energy as a function of the beam current, how relativistic the beam is, and the geometry of the system. The physical nature of the instability is clarified and the mechanisms for its saturation are discussed. Zh. éksp. Teor. Fiz. 115, 2037–2050 (June 1999)     

On self-induced transparency in laser-plasma interactions

We study fully relativistic nonlinear one-dimensional equations describing steady-state solutions for an electromagnetic wave interacting with a plasma in the self-induced transparency regime. In addition to the well-known solution that corresponds to the transmission of the electromagnetic wave into plasma, another steady-state solution is shown to exist in a certain range of amplitudes of the wave. The latter solution corresponds to total reflection of the incident wave. The coexistence of the two solutions indicates the possibility of hysteretic behavior in the self-induced transparency. Pis’ma Zh. éksp. Teor. Fiz. 70, No. 7, 445–450 (10 October 1999) Published in English in the original Russian journal. Edited by Steve Torstveit.     

Study of Coulomb collisional effects on the propagation of electromagnetic waves in a turbulent plasma

The presence of Weibel instability in laser-irradiated fuel could be detrimental to the process of ablative implosion, which is necessary for achieving thermonuclear fusion reactions. In this paper, the effect of the Coulomb collisional within the turbulent plasma on the Weibel instability growth rate has been investigated for linear and circular polarization. The results indicate that the Weibel instability growth rate at circular polarization near the ignition centre of the fuel fusion (collisional plasma) is about 10⁵ times higher than the collisional Weibel instability growth rate at linear polarization. The Weibel instability growth rate is observed near the critical density of the fuel fusion (collisionless plasma) at linear polarization and enhancement near the foot of the heat in front of the fuel fusion. By increasing the steps of the density gradient plasma in the low-density corona, electromagnetic instability occurs at a higher stress flow. Therefore, the deposition condition of electron beam energy in circular polarization of turbulent plasma can be shifted to the fuel core for suitable ignition.     

Trapping of an electromagnetic wave by the boundary of created plasma

We discuss a new phenomenon of the electrodynamics of transient media, the trapping of electromagnetic radiation by the boundary of a transient plasma due to the conversion of the radiation into surface waves localized at the boundary. Calculations are done for an initial plane wave and for a beam of finite width in conditions where the boundary of the suddenly created (because of ionization) plasma half-space is perpendicular to the initial wavefront. Two frequency down-shifted surface waves traveling along the boundary in opposite directions are shown to be excited, as well as frequency up-shifted outgoing radiation and a time-independent mode in the form of a spatially inhomogeneous structure of dc currents and a magnetic field within the plasma half-space. We study the associated kinematic, amplitude, and energy relations. Finally, we establish that the most efficient trapping (up to 40% in energy) can be achieved with the forward (with respect to the direction of the initial wave propagation) surface mode and that the trapping is accompanied by concentration of electromagnetic energy at the plasma boundary. Zh. éksp. Teor. Fiz. 113, 1277–1288 (April 1998)     

Return current instability and its effects on beam-plasma system

The return current induced in a plasma by a relativisitc electron beam generates a new electron-ion two-stream instability (return current instability). Although the effect of these currents on the beam-plasma e-e instability is negligible, there exists a range of wave numbers which is unstable only to return current (RC) instability and not to e-e instability. The electromagnetic waves propagating along the direction of the external magnetic field, in which the plasma is immersed, are stabilized by these currents but the e.m. waves with frequencies,ω ²≪Ω _e ² ≪ω _pe ² (Ω _e andω _pe being cyclotron and plasma frequency for the electrons of the plasma respectively) propagating transverse to the magnetic field get destabilized. Heuristic estimates of plasma heating, due to RC instability and due to decay of ion-acoustic turbulence generated by the return current, are made. The fastest time scale on which the return current delivers energy to the plasma due to the scattering of ion-sound waves by the electrons can be ∼ω _pi ⁻¹ (ω _pi being the plasma frequency for the ions).     

Spin damping correction to electrostatic modes in kinetic plasma theory

The effect of spin of particles is studied using a semi-classical kinetic theory for a magnetized plasma. No other quantum effects are included. We focus in the simple damping effects for the electrostatic wave modes. Besides Landau damping, we show that spin produces two new different effects of damping or instability which are proportional to ?. These corrections depend on the electromagnetic part of the wave that is coupled with the spin vector.     

Macroscopic Stability of Charged Particle Streams

We compare the analysis of macroscopic instabilities of pinch systems based on classical hydromagnetic theory with an analysis based on two-fluid electromagnetic hydrodynamics. In contrast to the predictions of the hydromagnetic theory, where the sausage-type instability is thought to predominate, the two-fluid electromagnetic hydrodynamics approach indicates that filamentation of the current channel is the most important mechanism at work. We conclude that macroscopic instabilities are not insurmountable obstacles for the laboratory realization of the electromagnetic collapse; that is, the contraction of plasma by the magnetic field of its own current to the condense state.     

On the Gradient-Current Mechanism of Formation of the Irregular Structure of the High-Latitude Upper Ionosphere

We consider the gradient-current instability of an inhomogeneous magnetoactive plasma in the approximation of double-fluid magnetohydrodynamics. Unlike the known gradient-drift and current-convective instabilities, the gradient-current instability is related to generation of nonpotential quasistatic electric fields polarized orthogonal to the external magnetic field B ₀ and excited by eddy currents whose density vector lies in the plane passing through the vectors of the magnetic field B ₀ and large-scale electron-density gradient. It is shown that in the high-latitude upper ionosphere, in the regions containing large-scale currents flowing in and out of the ionosphere along the magnetic field, the gradient-current instability can lead to the appearance of sheet-like irregularities extended predominantly in the plane passing through the geomagnetic-field and regular plasma-drift velocity vectors. __________ Translated from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Radiofizika, Vol. 48, No. 7, pp. 574–587, August 2005.     

Thermodiffusional stratification of a continuous microwave discharge plasma

We report the results of investigations of a continuous microwave discharge ignited in a quasioptical resonant cavity. We study a new phenomenon for such a discharge: a small-scale stratification of the plasma in the direction perpendicular to the electric field vector. This stratification is observed in a plasma with electron density higher than the critical density at the microwave frequency and is due to the development of a thermocurrent instability. Pis’ma Zh. éksp. Teor. Fiz. 67, No. 8, 537–542 (25 April 1998)     

On the cyclotron maser instability in a waveguide

The cyclotron maser instability is conventionally treated as a pure electromagnetic instability⁽⁵⁾. Waveguide modes can'be equivalent to plane waves reflected slantingly upon the two sides of the waveguide. According to the principles of plasma physics(⁶) the electromagnetic and the electrostatic modes can't be decoupled when the wave vector isn't strictly perpendicular or parallel to the d-c magnetic field. Therefore the conventional treatment is incomplete and invalid in the case of intense beams.Vlasov kinetic theory of the cyclotron maser instability taking into account the space-charge wave is presented. It is found that the respective couplings between the negative-energy cyclotron mode and the RHCP waveguide mode as well as the fast space-charge mode are responsible for the wave-guide maser instability.     

Concerning the electromagnetic instability of a homogeneous anisotropic plasma

A study is made of the electromagnetic instability of a homogeneous plasma with a highly anisotropic one-or two-dimensional velocity distribution in the absence of a magnetic field. It is shown that, if the velocity distribution has a center of symmetry, then the plasma is always unstable against sufficiently long electromagnetic waves. This instability plays an important role in both laboratory plasma devices and cosmic rays.     

Parametric interaction of surface waves guided by a plasma layer

We study the linear stage of the parametric instability of high-frequency surface waves guided by a homogeneous plasma layer on a metallic substrate when a TM-polarized plane electromagnetic wave is incident on the layer. The instability growth rate and the threshold value of the pumping wave amplitude are determined. It is shown that the instability can be thresholdless in a certain range of permittivities and thicknesses of the layer. Radiophysical Research Institute, Nizhny Novgorod, Russia. Translated from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Radiofizika, Vol. 40, No. 7, pp. 870–876, July, 1997.     

The magnetic field of Langmuir oscillations

The small-scale quasistationary magnetic field appearing in a plasma exhibiting plasma oscillations is considered. It is shown that this magnetic field is capable of leading to dissipation of the electromagnetic waves propagating in the plasma. Zh. Tekh. Fiz. 67, 140–141 (June 1997)     

Observation of pulsed fast electron precipitations and the cyclotron generation mechanism of burst activity in a decaying ECR discharge plasma

We have detected and investigated quasi-periodic series of pulsed energetic electron precipitations in the decaying plasma of a pulsed ECR discharge in a mirror axisymmetric magnetic trap. The observed particle ejections from the trap are interpreted as the result of resonant interaction between energetic electrons and a slow extraordinary wave propagating in the rarefied plasma across the external magnetic field. We have been able to explain the generation mechanism of the sequences of pulsed precipitations at the nonlinear instability growth phase in terms of a cyclotron maser model in which the instability threshold is exceeded through a reduction in electromagnetic energy losses characteristic of the plasma decay.