Electron Distribution and Harmonic Generation during Plasma Heating by High-Power Radiation

Anisotropic electron heating during the absorption of a strong high-frequency field due to electron–ion collisions is studied numerically by a Monte Carlo method. The electron distribution that forms in a strong high-frequency field under the action of electron–electron and electron–ion collisions is shown to be close to a bi-Maxwellian anisotropic velocity distribution. The extent to which the electron heating lowers the generation efficiency of the higher harmonics is determined.