Even harmonics generation of high frequency radiation in current-carrying plasmas

Generation of high frequency radiation harmonics in a current-carrying plasma is studied. The physical mechanism responsible for harmonics generation is provided by electron-ion collisions. The current in the plasma is sustained by a constant electric field. It is shown that the electron distribution function anisotropy due to the static field yields generation of even harmonics. As a result, the radiation spectrum emitted by the current-carrying plasma contains both even and odd harmonics, the latter being attributed to currentless plasma. For a broad range of plasma and high frequency radiation parameters, a detailed analysis of the even harmonics properties is reported. (c) 2005 American Institute of Physics.