Characteristics of Resonance Probes

摘要

In the last few years there have been several experimental results on resonance probes which were poorly explained by existing theories. They are, briefly: the resonant frequency increases (A) as the bias voltage of the probe is biased strongly negative, and (B) as a probe of smaller area is employed. In this paper, the characteristics of the resonance probe are analyzed on the basis of the resultant series impedance of the plasma and the sheath, the former being expressed by an antiresonant circuit and the latter by a capacitor. According to this mechanism, not only the experimental facts described above, but also all the characteristics of the resonance probe can be interpreted. For example, the dependence of the resonant peak on the bias voltage of the probe and on the input alternating voltage is elucidated. Furthermore, most of these properties are verified by experiments using a mercury plasma.