Hot-Electron Production and Anomalous Microwave Absorption near the Plasma Frequency

Abstract

Energy-distribution measurements are presented for the hot nonthermal-electron tail produced by anomalous microwave absorption near the plasma frequency ${\omega }_p$. These distributions depend strongly on $\frac{{{\omega }_p}^2}{{\omega }^2}$ and microwave power. In some cases a large fraction of the anomalously absorbed power goes into less than 1% of the electrons and a bump develops on the hot tail.