Parameters of Surface Microwave Discharge Initiated by the Passage of a Gyrotron Microwave Pulse through a Quartz Plate with Embedded Metal Particles

Abstract

The results of an experimental study of the initiation, development and maintenance of a plasma surface discharge initiated by microwave (microwave) radiation of a gyrotron (75 GHz, 300 kW, 6 ms) in air under normal conditions on the surface of a quartz substrate with metal inclusions are presented. It is shown that the velocity of the propagation of the discharge ionization front reaches 40 m/s, which corresponds to the thermal conduction propagation mechanism. In this case, the maximum calculated gas temperature of the plasma reaches 5500 K, which leads to the sublimation of metal inclusions. For the first time, the plasma parameters of a surface microwave discharge on metal-dielectric targets, which have been used in various aeroplasma and plasma-chemical applications, are presented.