Experimental and numerical studies on enhancement of microwave receiver characteristics by a thin plasma layer

As a multimode and wideband electromagnetic medium, plasma is able to interact with electromagnetic waves signal in various spectra to modulate the electromagnetic signals. In this paper, experimental results of signal enhancement in microwave receivers by thin layer plasmas were reported and numerically simulated. It is found that the thin layer plasma structure can intensify the receiving gain of microwave electromagnetic signals. Not only can this technology enhance the electromagnetic radiation in a wideband, but also maintain good signal quality. Based on local surface plasmon polarization theory, the corresponding physical model and numerical simulation were carried out to reveal the characteristics and mechanism of the process. The enhancement and modulation as well as their relation with microwave frequency, layer thickness, and collisional frequency in the plasma were further studied. © 2019, Harbin University of Science and Technology Publication. All right reserved.