LINEAR COUPLING OF ELECTRON CYCLOTRON WAVES IN MAGNETIZED PLASMAS: BEYOND THE RANGE OF ONE-DIMENSIONAL THEORY
A review is presented of a new analytical theory of linear o mode coupling in electron cyclotron frequency range in two-dimensionally inhomogeneous configurations of magnetized plasmas. The developed theory describes the conversion of ordinary and extraordinary waves the vicinity of the plasma cutoff surfaces with taking into account variations of a magnetic field on flux surfaces in a toroidal magnetic configuration, what is especially important for electron cyclotron heating and diagnostics of overdense plasmas.