Observation of localized density rises caused by high-power microwaves in a plasma-filled corrugated wall waveguide

Axial density gratings with local rises in a plasma filled corrugated wall waveguide are experimentally found to be created by incident high-power microwaves. The density rises and the maxima of standing waves of the axial RF electric field are observed at the identical axial positions where the radius of the corrugated wall is minimum. A nonlinear plasma model to explain the physical meaning of the observed results is proposed. (author)