TIME DEPENDENCE OF A MICROWAVE SIGNAL UNDER SATURATION CONDITIONS

Abstract

Studies of the detailed time dependence of the response of a Stark-modulated microwave spectrometer operating under saturation conditions were recently reported by $Harrington.^{1}$ We have repeated and extended such studies in which instead of the expected square-wave response of the crystal detector, Harrington obtained a repetitive series of exponentially damped cosine waves. The parameters of the damped cosine waves have been extracted and their variation with microwave power and sample pressure will be described. The relation between these experiments, microwave saturation theory, and rotational relaxation times will be discussed.