Study on the propagation properties of terahertz waves in spacecraft dusty plasma sheath

Abstract

Terahertz (THz) wave transmission in non-uniform dielectric layer containing dusty plasmas and aluminum (Al) is investigated by using the Wentzel–Kramer–Brillouin method. The application of magnetic field and increase in electromagnetic waves frequency are up-and-coming solutions for the “blackout” issue. Therefore, this work considers the effect of external magnetic field and electron density distribution. The electron density distributions are assumed to be double Gaussian profile, uniform distribution, Epstein distribution, and both right- and left-hand circularly polarized waves are analyzed. Then the effects of physical parameters and THz frequency on the transmission properties are analyzed. Results show that the presence of Al can shield electromagnetic waves, but we can still control THz waves in lower frequency band to achieve communication. By adjusting THz waves frequency and plasma parameters, waves can pass through the Al plasma sheath effectively under certain circumstances. It is expected to mitigate the blackout issue of hypersonic spacecraft.