Rotating plasma discharges of molecular radiators using circularly polarized microwaves

Summary form only given, as follows. Plasma discharges of molecular radiators at the pressure of a few hundred kPa in a stationav bulb using circularly polarized microwaves at 2.45 CHz with no external magnetic fields. The active zone of the radiant plasma discharges is observed to rotate at a frequency of the order of 0.1-20 Hz, which is equivalent to a linear speed of a few c d s , depending upon the power level, with the same sense of rotation as that of the applied CPM, regardless of the helicity. The emission spectra of sulfur and indium bromide obtained by using rotating TE,, mode fields appear to he the same as those obtained by microwave fields linearly polarized in the TElo mode. The spectroscopic and photometric characteristics of the broadband white light of sulfur and indium bromide generated by CPMs will be presented. The lethargic rotation of the plasma discharges is explained on the basis of the ponderomotive force including the absorption of the intrinsic angular momentum of the CPMs. A movie will be shown of rotating plasma discharges in a stationary bulb.