Wave Propagation in a Tubular Plasma

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Abstract
The configuration consisting of a dielectric rod, surrounded by a plasma shell and a concentric outer conducting cylinder, is investigated theoretically and experimentally for its propagation characteristics. It is predicted from the theory that such a configuration will support propagation in a backward wave mode (oppositely directed phase and group velocities). These backward waves were observed in experiments using a configuration essentially identical to the above (the dielectric rod had an air space down the center used to insert a probing antenna), with the plasma provided by a cesium discharge. Agreement between these observations and calculations is excellent. A forward wave was also observed at low frequencies, and is attributed to the influence of the sheath at the plasma-conductor interface. The observed dispersion curve for this forward wave is also in good agreement with that calculated using the expected sheath size of the cesium plasma-metal interface.

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