Nonstationary effects induced by a strong direct current in a compensated metal

The existence of nonstationary electromagnetic processes in a plate of comp ensated metal carrying a strong direct current is established theoretically . The nonstationary effects are due to the nonlinearity caused by the influ ence of a inhomogeneous sign-alternating magnetic field of the current on t he dynamics of charge carriers. Such an influence suppresses conductivity i n the entire sample except a narrow region near the zero magnetic field pla ne. It is found that the current pinch formed in this region can propagate quasi-statically in the direction transverse to the current. As a result, a n ac electric field component (and hence, an ac voltage across the sample a cross the sample) appears against the background of the applied dc electric field. The ac voltage generation can be observed experimentally in a prese t current mode. (C) 1999 American Institute of Physics. [S1063-777X(99)0071 1-2].