The Care and Feeding of

Plasma Antennas
28 Nov 01

Joseph Lee Cox

Graduate Student
Electrical Engineering Department
Graduate Engineering Research Center
 Outline

• Basics of plasma physics

– How is plasma defined?
– Characteristics of plasma
• Wave propagation in plasma media
– Reflection and refraction
– Topics of interest in wave propagation
• Plasma Antennas
– Confined space plasma antennas
– Unconfined plasma antennas
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 Outline

• Basics of plasma physics

– How is plasma defined?
– Characteristics of plasma
• Wave propagation in plasma media
– Reflection and refraction
– Topics of interest in wave propagation
• Plasma Antennas
– Confined space plasma antennas
– Unconfined plasma antennas
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 Plasma Defined

• What is a plasma?
– Quasi-neutral collection of ionized particles
• Not all particles need to be ionized
– Unlike the other states of matter, primary
interaction with the environment is through fields
– Found in stars, nuclear weapons,
and occasionally…antennas

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 Plasma Defined

• How is it created?
Z 2 EH
– Ionization, of course! E (n, l ) 
Z

(n  l ) 2 p. 52, Plasma Formulary

• Thermal ionization, RF and optical excitation

• Electric fields (not magnetic)
– General types of plasma
• Electrons and protons, heavier ions, antimatter?
• Thermal plasma and cold plasma
• Isotropic/anisotropic,
homogeneous/inhomogeneous

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– don’t worry, just like any other dielectric 5
 Characteristics of Plasma

• Max Says…
– Maxwell’s equations
 govern the fields 
  D      B  
 H   J   B  0  E     D  
t t
– Lorentz equation
 governs the particles
dv   
m  q( E  v  B)
dt p. 19, Plasma Formulary

– Particles in motion generate fields that generate

motion…Electric and magnetic fields are
intertwined in the plasma
– Key characteristic is the ‘plasma frequency’,  p
4N e q 2
p 
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me 6
 Characteristics of Plasma

• Particle approach to understanding plasma

– Lorentz law determines motion of a charge in a field
• Motion of plasma particles under applied E
dv 
m  q(E ) Different charges will move in opposite directions
generating an electric field that opposes the the
dt impressed field and a net current results.
• Motion of plasma under applied B
dv   With nonzero velocity tangential to magnetic field,

 q(v  B) maintaining the tangential velocity. Net current is zero

charges will spiral in opposite directions while
m
dt while induced magnetic field opposes the applied field.
• Motion under
 crossed
 electric and magnetic fields
 ( E  B ) The drift velocity is perpendicular to both E and B

vd  2
fields with zero net current (both charges traveling in
the same direction).
B
• Motion under external
  The forces
  m  ( g  B) important.
drift velocity is similar to the above, yet charge is
vd    2
Positive and negative charges will travel in
opposite directions producing a net current in the
 
q B 7
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media opposite to the curl.
 Characteristics of Plasma

• Particle approach (cont.)

– Statistical solution sometimes useful
• Boltzman transport equation
f s  f 
 v  f s  a   v f s   s 
t  t  collision
– a includes the effects of all noncollisional forces
and is the single particle distribution function
fs
– Numerically intensive for all but minute distr.
• PIC, particle-in-a-cell, a mathematical model
– Calculates the fields and potential of several
cells and in discrete time intervals approximates
plasma flow
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 Characteristics of Plasma

• Fluid approach to understanding plasma

– Is plasma a fluid? Can it be contained?
• Pressure is important, thermal (gas) and magnetic
– Magneto-hydrodynamic approximation
• Maxwell displacement current neglected
 
    v   0 The first equation is continuity, the second
t Newton equation of motion with mechanical

v
   v   v     B    B 
1 pressure force density and magnetic force
t  density.
 1 2 1 The magnetic force can then be written as the
B   B   B
1
 B  (  B)   sum of the gradient of the magnetic pressure and
  2   2 a secondary tension.

– Models of plasma generally seek to understand

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observations rather than predict new ones 9
 Characteristics of Plasma

• Plasma containers, no Tupperware brands here

– The ionosphere may be considered unconstrained
• No physical container, but Earth’s fields are culprit
– True unconstrained plasmas diffuse away
– Magnetic bottles are used in fusion experiments
• Other fusion reactors, stars, use gravity
– What about ordinary fluorescent tubes?

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 Characteristics of Plasma

• Cutting edge uses of plasmas, an aside

– Plasma deposition in semiconductor fabrication
– Thermonuclear fusion, a never ending hallway
• Will we care about the Middle East then?
– Ion propulsion, slow acceleration – wicked top speed
– Laser power sources
– The best use of plasma is…
• Manipulation of electromagnetic waves!

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 Outline

• Basics of plasma physics

– How is plasma defined?
– Characteristics of plasma
• Wave propagation in plasma media
– Reflection and refraction
– Topics of interest in wave propagation
• Plasma Antennas
– Confined space plasma antennas
– Unconfined plasma antennas
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 Wave Propagation in Plasma

• Development of the dispersion relation is the key!

Dispersion Phase Velocity Index of Refraction
Relation
Group Velocity

Wavelength

– Collision less, cold plasma with no B field

• Note that n<1 for all propagation frequencies

– Phase velocity >c, group velocity <c
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 Wave Propagation in Plasma

– Collisional, cold plasma (dense gas)

• Effective frictional force on the electrons

Hard sphere approximation

Maxwell-Boltzman thermal velocity

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 Wave Propagation in Plasma

• Reflection and refraction

– With index of refraction in hand, apply Snell’s Law

– Refraction is the same as in a dielectric

• For a cold plasma the dielectric has the form
 x  i  0
 
   i  x 0
 0 0  p 


– Reflection occurs when  p   , zero v g

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 Wave Propagation in Plasma

– A linearly varying plasma density will produce a

parabolic wave trajectory
• Apex of parabola is where  p  

Lockwood, p. 31 16
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 Wave Propagation in Plasma

• Topics of interest in wave propagation

– Space physicists use propagation to measure the depth
and plasma densities of the Ionosphere
• Ham radio operators frequently bounce
transmissions off of the Ionosphere and occasionally
duct through layers of plasma
– Space shuttle loses radio connectivity during re-entry
as the shuttle is cloaked in a plasma sheath
– Hypersonic aircraft (under study…no Aurora)
– Similar concerns as with the shuttle
– Plasma aerodynamics may be holy grail to HST
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 Outline

• Basics of plasma physics

– How is plasma defined?
– Characteristics of plasma
• Wave propagation in plasma media
– Reflection and refraction
– Topics of interest in wave propagation
• Plasma Antennas
– Confined space plasma antennas
– Unconfined plasma antennas
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 Plasma Antennas

• Confined space plasma antennas are the focus here

– Requirements for a plasma antenna
• Must develop a sufficient plasma density
– May provide a stimulation for plasma gyro-
rotation
• Must drive the antenna with a radiant source
– Some antennas are simply lenses while others
actively contribute to the radiation

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 Plasma Antennas

HOW DO WE DRIVE A PLASMA ANTENNA?

Essentially similar to a conventional antenna
but use a capacitive coupler

Additional power is needed to maintain the plasma

PLASMA ANTENNAS: A Novel Antenna

PARADIGM FOR Telecommunications and Radar
G.G. Borg, J.H. Harris, D.G. Miljak
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 Plasma Antennas

– Surface wave driven antennas rely on a unique

property of plasma/dielectric interface

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 Plasma Antennas

PLASMA SURFACE WAVES ARE RADIALLY

EVANESCENT
Comparison between a plasma and a metal
r = 1 - pe2/( + i) r = 1 - i0
j = -i0(r-1)E j = E

PARADIGM FOR Telecommunications and Radar

PLASMA ANTENNAS: A Novel Antenna
The effect of plasma is similar to a metal. The wave

G.G. Borg, J.H. Harris, D.G. Miljak

is guided with low penetration into the plasma.

and I.V. Kamenski

Wave fields vary as ~ f(r) exp i(z-t)
Dispersion obeys: r T0 I1(Tpa) K0(T0a) + Tp K1(T0a) I0(Tpa) = 0
where Tp2 = 2 - r k02 and T02 = 2 - k02
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 Plasma Antennas

– Surface wave driven plasma antenna

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 Plasma Antennas

– Semiconductor driven plasma antenna

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 Plasma Antennas

– Electro-optic modulated
plasma antenna

As the modulated laser passes

through the plasma it produces
potential gradients the force the
plasma to oscillate at the
modulated frequency. This
antenna, therefore, can be used
to receive ELF and VLF signals
and is being considered for
deployment on submarines.

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 Plasma Antennas

– Advantages of a plasma antenna over metal antenna

• Non-conductor when turned off (stealth and EMI)
• Quick turn on/turn off times (~msec)
– Only use as needed
• Rapidly reconfigurable in wavelength and aperture
• RF energy is not stored in antenna
– Eliminates ringing when turned on/off
– Disadvantages of a plasma antenna
• Efficiency … plasma attenuates wave energy
– Expect ~50% efficiency, compared to 90+%
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 Plasma Antennas

– Can we apply antenna theory to design a plasma

antenna? Maybe…
• First determine desired angular spectrum
• Inverse Fourier transform to determine aperture
• Design plasma antenna to match aperture
– Select E, plasma density throughout aperture
• A field programmable plasma antenna

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 Plasma Antennas

• Unconfined plasma antennas

– Some are accidental, and just plain nuisances
• Space Shuttle returning to Earth
– Engulfed in a plasma sheath, radio silence
– Some are purposeful, and ingenious
• Refraction of radar waves around aircraft
• Psuedo-random reflectors (D. Kalluri, U Mass Lowell)

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 Summary

• We dusted off the plasma physics texts,

discovered some interesting wave phenomena
and revealed the glory of plasma antennas.
• Plasma antennas are showing significant promise and
receiving the attention of commercial industries and
the military

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 Acknowledgements

Several sources were used (abused) for this seminar

– Lecture notes from AFIT courses
• Plasma Physics, Dr. Bill Bailey
• Ionospheric Electrodynamics, Major Devon Della-Rose
• Introduction to Space Environment, Major Devon Della-Rose
– Several excellent texts
• Introduction to Ionospheric Physics, Rishbeth and Garriot
• Plasma Physics, Sturrock
• Classical Electrodynamics, Jackson
• Electromagnetics of Complex Media, Kalluri
– An enormous internet cache
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 Backup Slides

•Particle Motion in crossed electric and magnetic fields

dv p q
 Ep Velocity parallel to magnetic field
dt m

 E  v  B 
dv q
Velocity normal to magnetic field
dt m
v  vd  v g (t ) Separating above into drift and ‘gyro’
dvg

q
E  vd  B  vg  B  Rewriting normal velocity equation
dt m

E   vd  B  0 Time-independent terms

dvg
dt

m

q  
vg  B  Time-dependent terms
 
 EB Final equation for crossed fields
vd 
B2

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 Backup Slides

•Particle motion in gravitational and magnetic fields


dv  q  
 g  (v  B ) Equation of motion for uniform fields
dt m

 E  v  B 
dv q
Nearly identical to crossed E and B
dt m
 m 
Eeff  g Substitute above with effective E
q
 
 m gB
vd  Drift component of motion
q B2

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 Backup Slides

• Polarization drift
y

x
10 20 30 40

-2

-4

-6

-8

-10

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 Backup Slides

• Transverse gradient drift

y

10

x
-2 -1.5 -1 -0.5
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