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The respone of a spherical plasma probe to alternating potentials: Results of computations and use for plasma diagnostics

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  13 March 2009

R. Buckley
Affiliation:
Radio and Space Research Station. Ditton Park, Slought, England

Abstract

In a previous paper, the R.F. characteristics of a spherical probe immersed in a hot, low-density plasma using a realistic sheath model were considered, and a few results of computations presented. The remainder of these results are given in this paper. The dependences of R.F. admittance, and rectified current on probe radius, d.c. bias, and electron neutral collision frequency are exhibited and shown to be qualitatively in accord with the predictions of simple slab-sheath/dielectric models. It is shown how in principle, analysis of resonance rectification characteristics using curves included in the paper can yield values of electron density ne temperature Te, and electron-neutral collision frequency ν. Two methods of reduction are applied to some laboratory results obtained at Slough and are shown to give reasonably consistent values of ne and ν, but the values of Te, show considerable scatter. These methods could complement the Langmuir probe which gives more reliable values of Te than of ne in low density plasmas with ne ≾108 cm−3. Effects of magnetic fields are not included in this paper.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1967

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