Interaction of high power microwave with plasma

An experimental proposal to investigate the physics of interaction of extremely intense (eE
_em
/mωc ~ 1) microwave in an overdense plasma is discussed. The output from a VIRCATOR (2-10 GHz, ~ 1-3 GW) based pulse (~30 ns) powered microwave source will be coupled to a large volume (φ 50 cm and length 150 cm) plasma of density ~ (1-10)×10
¹⁸
/m
³
. The proposed investigations include wave absorption in plasma, generation and propagation of fast electrons in the plasma and the associated instabilities. The experiments compliment laser - plasma interaction studies, scaling the laser wavelength and time scales to microwave regime. The said explorations have implications in Fast Ingnitor scheme of inertial fusion.