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Chapter 1 1.

INTRODUCTION
On earth we live upon an island of "ordinary" matter. The different states of matter generally found on earth are solid, liquid, and gas. Sir William Crookes, an English physicist identified a fourth state of matter, now called plasma, in 1879. Plasma is by far the most common form of matter. Plasma in the stars and in the tenuous space between them makes up over 99% of the visible universe and perhaps most of that which is not visible. Important to ASI's technology, plasmas are conductive assemblies of charged and neutral particles and fields that exhibit collective effects. Plasmas carry electrical currents and generate magnetic fields. When the Plasma Antenna Research Laboratory at ANU investigated the feasibility of plasma antennas as low radar cross-section radiating elements, Redcentre established a network between DSTO ANU researchers, CEA Technologies, Cantec Australasia and Neolite Neon for further development and future commercialization of this technology. The plasma antenna R & D project has proceeded over the last year at the Australian National University in response to a DSTO (Defence Science and Technology Organisation) contract to develop a new antenna solution that minimizes antenna detectability by radar. Since then, an investigation of the wider technical issues of existing antenna systems has revealed areas where plasma antennas might be useful. The project attracts the interest of the industrial groups involved in such diverse areas as fluorescent lighting, telecommunications and radar. Plasma antennas have a number of potential advantages for antenna design. When a plasma element is not energized, it is difficult to detect by radar. Even when it is energized, it is transparent to the transmissions above the plasma frequency, which falls in the microwave region. Plasma elements can be energized and deenergized in seconds, which prevents signal degradation. When a particular plasma element is not energized, its radiation does not affect nearby elements. HF CDMA Plasma antennas will have low probability of intercept (LP) and low probability of detection (LPD) in HF communications.

Chapter 2 2. PLASMA ANTENNA TECHNOLOGY


Since the discovery of radio frequency ("RF") transmission, antenna design has been an integral part of virtually every communication and radar application. Technology has advanced to provide unique antenna designs for applications ranging from general broadcast of radio frequency signals for public use to complex weapon systems. In its most common form, an antenna represents a conducting metal surface that is sized to emit radiation at one or more selected frequencies. Antennas must be efficient so the maximum amount of signal strength is expended in the propagated wave and not wasted in antenna reflection.

Plasma antenna technology employs ionized gas enclosed in a tube (or other enclosure) as the conducting element of an antenna. This is a fundamental change from traditional antenna design that generally employs solid metal wires as the conducting element. Ionized gas is an efficient conducting element with a number of important advantages. Since the gas is ionized only for the time of transmission or reception, "ringing" and associated effects of solid wire antenna design are eliminated. The design allows for extremely short pulses, important to many forms of digital communication and radars. The design further provides the opportunity to construct an antenna that can be compact and dynamically reconfigured for frequency, direction, bandwidth, gain and beam width. Plasma antenna technology will enable antennas to be designed that are efficient, low in weight and smaller in size than traditional solid wire antennas. When gas is electrically charged, or ionized to a plasma state it becomes conductive, allowing radio frequency (RF) signals to be transmitted or received. We employ ionized gas enclosed in a tube as the conducting element of an antenna. When the gas is not ionized, the antenna element ceases to exist. This is a fundamental change from traditional antenna design that generally employs solid metal wires as the conducting element. We believe our plasma antenna offers numerous advantages including stealth for military applications and higher digital performance in commercial applications. We also believe our technology can compete in many
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metal antenna applications. Our initial efforts have focused on military markets. General Dynamics' Electric Boat Corporation sponsored over $160,000 of development in 2000 accounting for substantially all of our revenues. Initial studies have concluded that a plasma antenna's performance is equal to a copper wire antenna in every respect. Plasma antennas can be used for any transmission and/or modulation technique: continuous wave (CW), phase modulation, impulse, AM, FM, chirp, spread spectrum or other digital techniques. And the plasma antenna can be used over a large frequency range up to 20GHz and employ a wide variety of gases (for example neon, argon, helium, krypton, mercury vapor and zenon). The same is true as to its value as a receive antenna.

Chapter 3 3. EXPERIMENTAL SETUP


A 100-400 Watt radio frequency source (3.7 MHz to 32 MHz) is used to form an RF discharge in various gases, in a 35cm long and 3 cm diameter glass tube. The glass tube is connected to a combined system of rotary and diffusion pump. The system is evacuated to a base pressure of 510-5 mbar, then filled with argon gas to various working pressures. The discharge is initiated by a single capacitive coupler of length 3.5 cm mounted at one end of the tube. This capacitive coupler is EM shielded. Plasma column is also formed with different gases such as air, nitrogen and oxygen. Experiments are performed for different plasma conditions. Surface wave is driven by 5 MHz-32 MHz frequency and 100- 400 watts input power by RF generator. Hence the column is called the surface wave driven plasma column is shown in Fig.1.

Fig.1 Surface wave driven plasma column.

This plasma column acts as antenna due to surface wave induced current. Th experiment is done for showing that plasma column act as antenna, which can be used for communication. Fig.2 shows the block diagram of communication system with plasma antenna. In this system plasma antenna is used for communication. Duplexer is connected 5cm above from the capacitive coupler because 5cm is the calculated minimum distance where measurements are not 4 affected by EM radiation by capacitive coupler. Duplexer is the combination of Rx filter of insertion loss 0.2 dB for 49 MHz and 80 dB isolation for 46 MHz and Tx filter of insertion loss 0.2 dB for 46 MHz and isolation 80 dB for 49 MHz. The speech or information signal of frequency 300 Hz to 3400 Hz is generated through MIC. This signal is amplified and filtered by Audio amplifier and filter. The tone signal of 6 KHz generated through decoders according to hand shaking signals from singling circuit. The
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speech signal and handshaking signal are mixed and fed to variac diode of X-tal oscillator for frequency modulation. Basic frequency is 49/4 MHz, therefore oscillator frequency 12.25 MHz. This signal is passed in frequency multiplier by 4. Therefore carrier frequency is 49 MHz is amplified and fed Tx filters of Duplexer. From plasma antenna, 46 MHz passes through Rx filters of duplexer. This 46 MHz signal send to Mixer. Mixer is consists of Lower oscillator (LO) which is 10.7 MHz higher than through Low Noise Amplifier(LNA). Lower oscillator (LO) is 10.7 MHz high than RF input and mixed. Lower oscillator gives 10.7 MHz to Intermediate frequency (IF) filter and amplifier at 46 MHz, 10.7 MHz frequency is filtered and amplified and again it is given to second Mixer to get 455 KHz using Lower oscillator of (10.7 MHz + 544 KHz = 11.155 MHz) 11.155 MHz and IF of 455 KHz. Now 455 KHz IM carries information which is discriminated to get 6 KHz and 300 to 3400 Hz. Audio filter will block 6 KHz and allow 300 3400 Hz to go to audio amplifier and amplified signal send to Loudspeaker. Notch filter will block all other frequencies than 6 KHz to go to tone decoder to give signal for ring or ON/OFF or Hook status.

Fig.2 BLOCK DIGRAM OF COMMUNICATION SYSTEM

Chapter 4 4. MARKET APPLICATIONS OF PLASMA TECHNOLOGY


Plasma antennas offer distinct advantages and can compete with most metal antenna applications. The plasma antenna's advantages over conventional metal elements are most obvious in military applications where stealth and electronic warfare are primary concerns. Other important military factors are weight, size and the ability to reconfigure. Potential military applications include: Shipboard/submarine antenna replacements. Unmanned air vehicle sensor antennas. IFF ("identification friend or foe") land-based vehicle antennas. Stealth aircraft antenna replacements. Broad band jamming equipment including for spread-spectrum emitters. ECM (electronic counter-measure) antennas. Phased array element replacements. EMI/ECI mitigation Detection and tracking of ballistic missiles Side and back lobe reduction

Military antenna installations can be quite sophisticated and just the antenna portion of a communications or radar installation on a ship or submarine can cost in the millions of dollars. Plasma antenna technology has commercial applications in telemetry, broad-band communications, ground penetrating radar, navigation, weather radar, wind shear detection and collision avoidance, high-speed data (for example Internet) communication spread spectrum communication, and cellular radiation protection.

Chapter 5 5. MEASURMENTS AND RESULTS


5.1 CHARACTERISTICS OF PLASMA COLUMN:The plasma column of different gases is characterized by using standard Langmuir probe of length 5mm and radius 0.3mm. Plasma density and electron temperature is measured. The probe is inserted from a end of the glass tube. The probe is manually biased from 100 to +100 volts. By evaluating the slope of the I-V characteristics, the electron temperature is obtained. The measured value of the density is computed from measured ion saturation current. Plasma density and electron temperature are typically measured as 5.61010 per cc and 5.5 eV respectively. The plasma density and temperature of all gases such as oxygen, nitrogen, air and argon are observed to be almost same for same external parameters and probe position. Fig.2 shows that density profile along the axis of the glass tube. It is measured by changing the position of the probe from one end to the other. The plasma density decreases away from the RF exciter, placed at one end. The plasma density is 81010 per c.c. at 5 cm. and 41010 per c.c. at 30 cm, away from the RF exciter.

Fig.3 Axial density profile

5.2 SURFACE WAVE DRIVEN PLASMA COLUMN:The plasma is formed by rf field ( 5 MHz to 32 MHz) at the capacitive coupler. Surface wave excites at the interface of plasma and glass tube. There is no external magnetic field. The plasma column of length of 35 cm is formed by surface wave discharge. This surface wave is driven by 5 to 32 MHz frequency and 100 to 400 watts input power by rf generator. Hence the column is called the surface wave driven plasma column. The characterization of surface wave in our system is given below.
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The length of plasma column depends on input power used to drive the surface wave. Fig 4 shows that the length of plasma column (0 cm to 35 cm) increases with input power (0 to 40 watt), at constant working pressure.

Fig.4 variation in length of plasma column with input power at different cosntant working pressure and the length of glass tube is 35 cm.

The length of plasma column also depends on working pressure (.02 mbar to .05 mbar) at constant input power, which is shown in Fig.5. the field components of surface wave are measured by standard dipole probe and loop probe on the surface of glass tube, that magnitude of electric and magnetic field decreases along the axis of plasma column which is shown in (Fig.6).

Fig.5 Variation in length of plasma antenna with working pressure at constant input power,w=35 watt and the length of glass tube is 35 cm.

Fig.6 Axial electric field profile on the surface of plasma antenna.

Azimuthal field pattern of the plasma column is measured by moving probe in the horizontal plane around the plasma column in 15 degree increment from00 3600 .at different heights ( 5cm,10cm,15cm,50cm) from the end of plasma column where the source is situated. Fig.7 shows surface wave field intensity as a function of the azimuthal angel . It is observed to be reasonably axisymmetric so azimuthal wave number is m=0 The power level of fundamental harmonic decays along the axis of plasma column. This indicates damping or attenuation of the wave inside the dielectric, which is measured by disc probe on the surface of glass tube using spectrum analyzer. Fig.8 shows that the power level at 5 MHz decreases from 8 dBm to 15 dBm along the axis of the plasma column. The above experimental results show that axisymmetric electromagnetic surface wave is propagating along the interface of plasma and glass tube. It deposits wave power to the plasma to form a 35 cm long plasma column.

Fig.7 Azimuthal field pattern of plasma antenna at different heights from the source of the plasma antenna

Fig.8 Variation in power level of fundamental harmonic at f =5MHz along the axis of plasma antenna.

5.3 PLASMA COLUMNS AS MONOPOLE ANTENNA:This surface wave driven plasma column acts as an antenna due to associated surface current with surface wave. Surface current is distributed on the interface of plasma and glass tube. The axial current distribution on the surface of plasma column is shown in Fig.9, which is measured by using shielded and calibrated Rogowaski coil which is mounted on the outer surface of the glass tube.

Fig.9 Current distribution on the surface of plasma column at different working pressure

The magnitude of surface current depends on the plasma electron density, which is decreasing along the axis of plasma column. As fig.9, shows the surface current decreases along the axis of plasma antenna. This surface current which is generated by 5 MHz driven frequency that generates electromagnetic field with several harmonics which are shown in Fig.10.
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Fig.10 Variation in power level of different harmonics.

As seen clearly, higher order harmonics vanish away from the plasma antenna due to decay of power into medium (Fig.11), measured by spectrum analyzer. There are 20 harmonics on the surface of plasma antenna having higher power than background power level (-80 dBm) but 60 cm away from the antenna, there are only 2 harmonics have higher power than background power.

Fig.11 Number of harmonics as a function of radial distance

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Fig.12 Elevation field pattern of plasma antenna at different Vertical planes having 15 degree increment in azimuthal plane.

The elevation pattern (Fig.12) of our plasma antenna is measured by moving the probe in an arc over the plasma Antenna Under Test (AUT) with 15-degree increment from 00 q 900 at different vertical planes and having 15 degree increment in horizontal plane. The azimuthal pattern (Fig.7) is also measured by moving the probe in horizontal plane by 15 degree from 00 q 3600 at different heights (5cm, 10cm, 15cm, 50cm) from source end of the antenna. Both these patterns are also measured in similar way for SS304 and copper metallic antenna of similar dimensions as the plasma antennae. Patterns are similar for the three antennae. The Rayleigh criterion is usually taken as minimum distance from the AUT to the far field where pattern measurements should be made. It is usually taken to be greater then, 2L2/l where L is the largest AUT dimension. For our largest effective antenna length (35 cm), this is about 4 mm for 5 MHz harmonic so both patters are measured in far field region. The system dimension is much less then wavelength (a<<l , L<<l ) where a is diameter (3 cm) and L is the length of plasma antenna (35 cm). This plasma antenna will act as a monopole wire antenna. 5.4 STRIATIONS IN PLASMA COLUMN:By changing external operating parameters such as working pressure (.03 mbar to 0.3 mbar), driven frequency (3.7 MHz to 32 MHz), input power (70 watt to 400 watt), background pressure (10-3 mbar to 10-6 mbar) and length of glass tube (5 cm to 30 cm), plasma column is transformed to finite number of cylindrical or spherical striations (balls), helical plasma with rotation and plasma with spiral shape. These states are visibly different and are shown in photographs (Fig.13, 14,15). These different structures in plasma column are transformed from a stable uniform inhomogeneous steady state (plasma column) to unstable nonuniform inhomogeneous state, which again diffuses to stable nonuniform inhomogenous observed steady state.
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Fig.13 Planer array plasma antenna

Fig.14 Helical plasma antenna.

Fig.15 Spiral plasma antenna

5.5 STATIONARY STRIATIONS AS ARRAY PLASMA ANTENNA:At critical value which is the combination of input power and working pressure (Fig.16) these cylindrical striations are separated from each other. The separation between striations will be vanished at lower and higher value then the critical value. Now each cylindrical striation forms a short length plasma column having associated surface current so each cylindrical plasma element of plasma column acts as a short antenna. These segments or elements of plasma antenna are called antenna elements. The axial current distribution on the antenna elements is shown in Fig.17. These different formations in the plasma are visible at different pressures or power, keeping all other remaining parameters constant.

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Fig.16 Critical value of input power at various working pressures to form plasma antenna elements.

Fig.17 Current distribution on the surface of planar array plasma antenna

The parameters of antenna elements can be controlled such that number and length of elements vary by changing the working pressure, power, driven frequency and length of glass tube. Fig.18 shows that the number of antenna elements increase with driven frequency and input power. The number of elements vary from six to ten by operating at 5MHz, 100 watts of power to 32 MHz and 400 watts of power. Fig.19 shows that the number of elements are increasing from one to six while the length of glass tube is varied from 5 cm to 30 cm. The length of first antenna element varies with driven frequency. It is 5 cm at 5 MHz and 2 cm at 32 MHz. The length of antenna elements decreases along the antenna axis (Fig.20). This structure of plasma antenna acts as a planner array antenna. Some other structures (Helical and Spiral) are also found in our experiment, are shown in Fig.14 and 15. These structures of plasma act as antenna, which can be called Helical plasma antenna and spiral plasma antenna.
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Fig. 18, 19 Variation in number of plasma antenna element with driven frequency & along the length of the glass tube

Fig.21 Variation in length of antenna elements as a function of number of antenna elements at different working presser

5.6 EXPERIMENTS FOR VERSATILE PLASMA ANTENNA:Qualitative observations have been confirmed that the plasma antenna can be used for transmitting and receiving audio signals or TV (video) information. Two experiments, given below to show that plasma structures act as receiving/transmitting antenna over the range 10 to 250 MHz for a range of RF power levels and hence different effective length and structures for antenna.

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(I) Jamming capabilities of EM waves of this antenna has been qualitatively tested with standard FM radio receivers at 91.90 MHz. This FM channel could be received in the absence of plasma column even though rf generator is kept ON. But the effective range is measured as 170 cm away from plasma antenna when plasma is formed, the reception of FM radio channel is cut off. This experiment is performed by all structures of plasma antenna. (II) The audio noise level is measured on the loudspeaker output terminal. The noise level is measured with different structures of plasma antenna, which formed as working pressure and without plasma in glass tube. The noise level is reduced from 15.2 mV to 8.7 mV, Fig.22 shows clearly, the noise level is reducing with pressure and plasma antenna structure is also changing with pressure so the planner array antenna and helical plasma antenna performs better than the monopole plasma antenna. This plasma antenna acts as a receiver when audio frequency (3003400 Hz) which is converted to carrier frequency (46-49 MHz) frequency multiplier and RF amplifier so the plasma antenna works as Tx/Rx antenna. Plasma antenna is used for communication. The communication range of our monopole plasma antenna is measured to be 45 meters, which is increased up to 60 meters with varying pressure or different structure of plasma antenna, In comparison the communication range with a similar metallic telescope antenna is measured as 50 meters. The communication range increases with different structures. All these structures of plasma act as antenna. Different type of antenna structures is formed in a single system by changing the external parameters, so it can be named as a versatile plasma antenna.

Fig.21 Variation in noise level with working pressure

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Chapter 6 6. RADIATION PATTERN


The radiation pattern of the tube working as an antenna is measured by a standard transmitter-receiver system `Signet Antenna Analyzing Equipment's (S-99R, S-99T, S-99V)'. The schematic experimental set up for this purpose is shown in Figure 22. The radiation pattern is measured in the H plane (perpendicular to the antenna).

Figure22. Picture of Plasma antenna on the Signet receiver.

Figure 23. Schematic picture showing the antenna with respect to the Trans- mitting system in the co polar position.

A 3 element Yagi antenna is taken as the transmitter to radiate at 590 MHz. The plasma antenna is mounted on the revolving machine and connected to the receiver. For each 1 degree, the receiver measures the power received by the plasma antenna in dB micro Volt (dBV) and stores it in the internal array memory. Two such arrays (of 360 points each) are provided. The observed pattern is shown in Figure 24 for frequency 590 MHz. Both curves are polar plots, showing angular variation of the normalized received power. The outer circle has a constant value 0 dB in this scale, and the inner circle has a value 10 dB. The measurement, with reference to Figure 22, is done for one particular polarization of the transmitter (or one particular transmitter) at a time, for a full rotation of 360 degree of the receiver. First measurement is referred to as `Array 1', as shown on the upper left panel of Figure 10. We can mark two cursors on the Array 1 curve that show the received power in dBV at those particular angle values, as shown on the lower left panel of Figure 24. In our measurement, Array 1 curve, marked `A', is for co-polarization. The rst cursor shows the maximum value of received power having a value
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73.4 dB at 193 degree, while the second cursor shows the minimum value of received power having a value 59.0 dB at 24 degree. The second measurement referred to as `Array 2' is for a cross polarization between the transmitter and plasma antenna, and this curve is marked `B'. No cursors can be marked on this, as it has to be analyzed relative to the Array 1 results. Also, it can be seen from Figure 24 that from angle 0 degree to 60 degree, the received power values are approximately equal in both co- and cross-polarizations. This happens due to scattering of elds from the coaxial cable because it comes in between the transmitting and receiving antennas. This coaxial cable has been used for power supply to the upper electrode of the uorescent tube.

Figure 24. Radiation from the plasma antenna shows monopole patterns.

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Chapter 7 7. UNIQUE CHARACTERISTICS OF A PLASMA ANTENNA


One fundamental distinguishing feature of a plasma antenna is that the gas ionizing process can manipulate resistance. When demonized, the gas has infinite resistance and does not interact with RF radiation. When demonized the gas antenna will not backscatter radar waves (providing stealth) and will not absorb high-power microwave radiation (reducing the effect of electronic warfare countermeasures). A second fundamental distinguishing feature is that after sending a pulse the plasma antenna can be demonized, eliminating the ringing associated with traditional metal elements. Ringing and the associated noise of a metal antenna can severely limit capabilities in high frequency short pulse transmissions. In these applications, metal antennas are often accompanied by sophisticated computer signal processing. By reducing ringing and noise, we believe our plasma antenna provides increased accuracy and reduces computer signal processing requirements. These advantages are important in cutting edge applications for impulse radar and high-speed digital communications. Based on the results of development to date, plasma antenna technology has the following additional attributes: No antenna ringing provides an improved signal to noise ratio and reduces multipath signal distortion. Reduced radar cross section provides stealth due to the non-metallic elements. Changes in the ion density can result in instantaneous changes in bandwidth over wide dynamic ranges. After the gas is ionized, the plasma antenna has virtually no noise floor. While in operation, a plasma antenna with a low ionization level can be decoupled from an adjacent high-frequency transmitter. A circular scan can be performed electronically with no moving parts at a higher speed than traditional mechanical antenna structures. It has been mathematically illustrated that by selecting the gases and changing ion density that the electrical aperture (or apparent footprint) of a plasma antenna can be made to perform on par with a metal counterpart having a larger physical size. Our plasma antenna can transmit and receive from the same aperture provided the frequencies are widely separated. Plasma resonance, impedance and electron charge density are all dynamically reconfigurable. Ionized gas antenna elements can be constructed and configured into an array that is dynamically reconfigurable for frequency, beam width, power, gain, polarization and directionality - on the fly. A single dynamic antenna structure can use time multiplexing so that many RF subsystems can share one antenna resource reducing the number and size of antenna structures.
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Chapter 8 8. SPONSORED WORK


To date, plasma antenna technology has been studied and characterized by ASI Technology Corporation revealing several favorable attributes in connection with antenna applications. The work was carried out in part through two ONR sponsored contracts. NCCOSC RDTE Division, San Diego, awarded contract N66001-97-M-1153 1 May 1997. The major objective of the program was to determine the noise levels associated with the use of gas plasma as a conductor for a transmitting and receiving antenna. Both laboratory and field-test measurements were conducted. The second contract N00014-98- C-0045 was a 6-month SBIR awarded by ONR on November 15, 1997. The major objective of this effort was to characterize the GP antenna for conductivity, ionization breakdowns, upper frequency limits, excitation and relaxation times, ignition mechanisms, temperatures and thermionic noise emissions and compare these results to a reference folded copper wire monopole. The measured radiation patterns of the plasma antenna compared very well with copper wire antennas. ASI Technology Corporation is under contract with General Dynamics Electric Boat Division and in conjunction with the Plasma Physics Laboratory at the University of Tennessee, an inflatable plasma antenna is being developed. This antenna is designed to operate at 2.4 Ghz and would be mounted on the mast of an attack submarine. In addition a prototype plasma waveguide and plasma reflector has been designed and demonstrated to General Dynamics. The following discussion illustrates why there is military and government support for plasma antenna concepts. The gas plasma antenna conducts electron current like a metal and hence can be made into an antenna but with distinct advantages. The following technological concepts are important to plasma antennas: 1. Higher power - Increased power can be achieved in the plasma antenna than in the corresponding metal antenna because of lower Ohmic losses. Plasmas have a much wider range of power capability than metals as evident from low powered plasma in fluorescent bulbs to extremely high-powered plasmas in the Princeton University experimental fusion reactors. In this range, a high-powered plasma antenna is still low powered plasma. Since plasmas do not melt, the plasma antennas can provide heat and fire resistance. The higher achievable power and directivity of the plasma antenna can enhance target discrimination and track ballistic missiles at the S and X band. 2. Enhanced bandwidth - By the use of electrodes or lasers the plasma density can be controlled. The theoretical calculations on the controlled variation of plasma density in space and time suggest that greater bandwidth of the plasma antenna can be achieved than the corresponding metal antenna of the same geometry. This enhanced bandwidth can improve discrimination.
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3. EMI/ECI - The plasma antenna is transparent to incoming electromagnetic signals in the low density or turned off mode. This eliminates or diminishes EMI/ECI thereby producing stealth. Several plasma antennas can have their electron densities adjusted so that they can operate in close proximity and one antenna can operate invisible to others. In this physical arrangement mutual side lobe and back lobe clutter is highly reduced and hence jamming and clutter is reduced. 4. Higher efficiency and gain - Radiation efficiency in the plasma antenna is higher due to lower Ohmic losses in the plasma. Standing wave efficiency is higher because phase conjugate matching with the antenna feeds can be achieved by adjusting the plasma density and can be maintained during reconfiguration. Estimates indicate a 20db improvement in antenna efficiency. 5. Reconfiguration and mutifunctionality - The plasma antenna can be reconfigured on the fly by controlled variation of the plasma density in space and time with far more versatility than any arrangement of metal antennas. This reduces the number of required elements reducing size and weight of shipboard antennas. One option is to construct controlled density plasma blankets around plasma antennas thereby creating windows (low-density sections of the blanket) for main lobe transmission or reception and closing windows (high-density regions in the plasma blanket). The plasma windowing effect enhances directivity and gain in a single plasma antenna element so that an array will have less elements than a corresponding metal antenna array. Closing plasma windows where back lobes and side lobes exist eliminates them and reduces jamming and clutter. This sidelobe reduction below 40db enhances directivity and discrimination. In addition, by changing plasma densities, a single antenna can operate at one bandwidth (e.g. communication) while suppressing another bandwidth (e.g. radar). 6. Lower noise - The plasma antenna has a lower collision rate among its charge carriers than a metal antenna and calculations show that this means less noise. 7. Perfect reflector - When the plasma density is high the plasma becomes a loss-less perfect reflector. Hence there exist the possibilities of a wide range of lightweight plasma reflector antennas.

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Chapter 9 9. ADVANTAGES
The advantage of a plasma antenna is that it can appear and disappear in a few millionths of a second. This means that when the antenna is not required, it can be made to disappear, leaving behind the gas filled column that has little effect on the electromagnetic fields in the proximity of the tube. The same will be true for fiber glass and plastic tubes, which are also under consideration. The other advantage of plasma antenna is that even when they are ionized and in use at the lower end of the radio spectrum, say HF communications, they are still near transparent to fields at microwave frequencies. The same effect is observed with the use of ionosphere, which is plasma. Every night amateur radio operators bounce their signals off the ionosphere to achieve long distance communications, whilst microwave satellite communication signals pass through the ionosphere.

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CONCLUSION
As part of a blue skies research program, DSTO has teamed up with the ANUs Plasma Research Laboratory to investigate the possibility of using plasmas like those generated in fluorescent ceiling lights, for antennas. The research may one day have far reaching applications from robust military antennas through to greatly improved external television aerials. Antennas constructed of metal can be big and bulky, and are normally fixed in place. The fact that metal structures cannot be easily moved when not in use limits some aspects of antenna array design. It can also pose problems when there is a requirement to locate many antennas in a confined area. Weapons System Division has been studying the concept of using plasma columns for antennas, and has begun working in collaboration with ANU plasma physicists Professor Jeffrey Harris and Dr. Gerard Borg. Work by the team has already led to a provisional patent and has generated much scientific interest as it is so novel. It offers a paradigm shift in the way we look at antennas and is already providing the opportunity to create many new and original antenna designs. Plasma is an ionized gas and can be formed by subjecting a gas to strong electric or magnetic fields. The yellow lights in streets are a good example of plasmas though a better example is the fluorescent tubes commonly used for lighting in homes. The type of plasma antenna under investigation is constructed using a hollow glass column which is filled with an inert gas. This can be ionized by the application of a strong RF field at the base of the column. Once energized, the plasma column can be made to exhibit many of the same characteristics of a metal whip antenna of the type mounted on most cars. The metal whips that may be considered for a plasma replacement are anywhere from a few centimeters to several meters long. There are many potential advantages of plasma antennas, and DSTO and ANU are now investigating the commercialization of the technology. Plasma antenna technology offers the possibility of building completely novel antenna arrays, as well as radiation pattern control and lobe steering mechanisms that have not been possible before. To date, the research has produced many novel antennas using standard fluorescent tubes and these have been characterized and compare favorably with their metal equivalents. For example, a 160 MHz communications link was demonstrated using plasma antennas for both base and mobile stations. Current research is working towards a robust plasma antenna for field demonstration to Defense Force personnel.

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REFERENCES
A.W.Trivelpiece and R.W.Gould, J.Appl.Phys.,30, 1784(1959) A.W.Trivelpiece , slow-wave propagation in plasma waveguids, San Francisco University Press) A.Shivarova and I. Zhelyazkov, Plasma Phys., 20,1049(1978). M. Moisan , A. Shivarova and A. W. Trivelpiece, Plasma Phys.,24,1331(1982) D. R. Tuma, Rev.Sci.Instrum.,41, 1519(1970) Z. Zakrzewski, M. Moisan, V. M. M. Glade, C. Beaudry and P. Leprince, Plasma Phys.,19,77(1977). M. Moisan and Z. Zakrzewski, Rev.Sci.Instrum.,58,1895(1986). G. G. Borg, J. H. Harris, D. J. Miljak and N. M. Martin, Apll.Phys.Lett., 74, 3272(1999). P. Whichello, J. P. Rayner and A. D. Cheetham, Proc.11th Int. Conf. Plasma Physics, Sydney, Australia, 396(July-2002). J. P. Rayner, A. P. Whichello, and D. Cheetham, IEEE Trans.Plasma Sci.,32(1), 269 (2004). G. G. Borg, J. H. Harris, N.M. Martin, D. Thorncraft, R. Milliken, D. G. Miljak, B. Kwan, T. Ng. and J. Kircher, Phys. Plasmas, 7,2198 (July 2000) H. S. Robertson and J. J. Herring, Phys. Fluids 12, 836 (1969).

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