Development of a Plasma Experiment and Microwave Sources for Wave-Plasma Interaction Experiments

Electromagnetic waves are vital to the introduction of energy in many plasma applications. As a non-linear medium, plasma can enable complex interactions between multiple electromagnetic waves. Examples in laser-plasma physics include Raman coupling via a Langmuir oscillation or Brillouin scattering mediated by ion-acoustic waves. Signals with normalised intensity approaching that of recent laser plasma interaction experiments can be generated using powerful and flexible microwave sources, interacting in relatively tenuous, cool and accessible plasma. Intense short pulse signals can be generated by dispersive pulse compressors driven by chirped microwave signals. Other multi-wave interactions are interesting for magnetic confinement fusion plasmas, e.g. beat-wave interactions coupled to cyclotron motion of the ions and electrons or the hybrid oscillations may be useful in heating plasma or for driving currents.