Electron Beam Guided by Millimeter-Wave Ponderomotive force in the Ionospheric Plasma

The potential of electron-beam ablation propulsion for space debris removal is investigated. In ionospheric plasma, electron beams diverge due to electrostatic repulsive forces. The purpose of this study is to achieve long-range electron beam propagation by sandwiching the electron beam between two millimeter-wave (MMW) beams. This approach utilizes the ponderomotive force generated by the MMW, which acts perpendicular to the electron beam. Through particle-in-cell (PIC) simulations, it is demonstrated that by appropriately adjusting the wavelength and intensity of the MMW beams, the electron beam can be transmitted over longer distances by suppressing its divergence.