Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Letter
  • Published:

Discharges in Hydrogen at the Ion Cyclotron Frequency

Abstract

ATTEMPTS to find the optimum conditions for producing a highly ionized plasma in hydrogen have recently been described1. A microwave source was used, and the discharge tube was immersed in a magnetic field. It was found that a more efficient transfer of energy from the micro-wave field to the plasma took place when the operating frequency equalled the electron cyclotron frequency. We have carried out preliminary experiments to discover if such a selective absorption occurred when the applied frequency was equal to the ion cyclotron frequency. This frequency is given by F = eH/2πmc, where H is the magnetic field strength and m is the ionic mass.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Buchsbaum, S. J., and Gordon, E., Quarterly Progress Report, Massachusetts Institute of Technology Res. Lab. of Electronics (Oct. 15, 1956).

  2. Walsh, D., and Shearman, P. M., J. Sci. Instr., 34, 161 (1957).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

BRIGHT, A., RAMANATHAN, K. Discharges in Hydrogen at the Ion Cyclotron Frequency. Nature 180, 1468–1469 (1957). https://doi.org/10.1038/1801468a0

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/1801468a0

Comments

By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.

Search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing