Effect of air breakdown on microwave pulse energy transmission

Abstract

The energy transmission of the long microwave pulse for the frequency of 2.45 GHz and 5.8 GHz is studied by using the electron fluid model, where the rate coefficients are deduced from the Boltzmann equation solver named BOLSIG+. The breakdown thresholds for different air pressures and incident pulse parameters are predicted, which show good agreement with the experimental data. Below the breakdown threshold, the transmitted pulse energy is proportional to the square of the incident electric field amplitude. When the incident electric field amplitude higher than the breakdown threshold increases, the transmitted pulse energy decreases monotonously at a high air pressure, while at a low air pressure it first decreases and then increases. We also compare the pulse energy transmission for the frequency of 2.45 GHz with the case of 5.8 GHz.

Effect of aperture field distribution on the maximum radiated power at atmospheric pressure

“…The air breakdown caused by the high-power microwave has been investigated by many scholars in recent years. [4][5][6][7][8][9] Hidaka et al observed the variation of the plasma pattern produced in the air breakdown with the pressure, which was well reproduced and explained by the theory model of Boeuf et al [4,5] Experiments of Yang et al showed that the breakdown threshold of the short-pulse microwave depends strongly on the gas pressure and species. [6] The electron fluid model with the accurate rate coefficients was employed by Zhao et al to simulate and reveal the air breakdown caused by the high-power microwave.…”

“…[6] The electron fluid model with the accurate rate coefficients was employed by Zhao et al to simulate and reveal the air breakdown caused by the high-power microwave. [7,8] In general, we do not desire the air breakdown to occur, and therefore determining the maximum radiated power above which the air breakdown occurs is important to avoid the breakdown. The field equivalent principle and the empirical formula of the ionization rate were employed by Zhang et al to study the maximum radiated power of the aperture antenna, where the field phase on the aperture was assumed to be uniform.…”

Space and time evolution of light emitted from microwave nitrogen breakdown

“…Nitrogen breakdown by microwave can be described by a model coupling Maxwell's equations with plasma fluid equations [23,24]. Maxwell's curl equations for the TM 01 mode electromagnetic components in a nonmagnetic, gaseous medium in a cylindrical symmetric coordinate system in MKS units are [25] ( )…”

Global model for high power microwave pulse breakdown in air and SF6

“…Gas breakdown is considered to be an important process because it causes attenuation and imposes severe limits on the propagation of high power microwave pulse. [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8] Gas such as air, nitrogen, CO 2 , argon, and SF 6 are most commonly studied in these investigations because these gases are used in many applications where they are exposed to high power microwave pulses. Air and SF 6 are of particular interest.…”