Electromagnetic wave amplifiers and generators

摘要

In a method and apparatus for amplifying and/or generating electromagnetic wave radiation, a gas plasma region having a non-Maxwellian electron distribution is produced by effecting collisions between scattering particles in the gas with free electrons which have been accelerated to an energy level which is greater than that providing maximum probability of collision of the electrons with scattering particles in said gas; and the electromagnetic wave radiation is subjected to the plasma region such as to produce amplification of the radiation by stimulated emission of Bremstrahlung from scattered free electrons in the plasma region.