ELECTROMAGNETIC-WAVES SCATTERING BY PERIODIC PLASMA STRUCTURE

Periodic arrays of discharge tubes placed directly against each other were used to produce a plasma layer reflecting and absorbing electroma gnetic waves. Reflection, transmission and absorption factors of norma lly incident waves were studied both theoretically and experimentally for these arrays in the frequency range from 5 to 12 GHz. Two wave-pol arizations were under investigation, electric field of the wave was ei ther parallel (E-wave) or perpendicular (H-wave) to the tube axis. Gla ss tubes with ID 1.3-1.4cm were filed with Ar-Hg mixture or Xe at a pr essure of several Torr. Plasma density on the tube axis varied from 10 (12) to 10(13) cm(-3). Only principal reflected and transmitted spatia l modes were found to exist. Results of calculation fit the experiment al data well.