Experimental Investigations of Radio Frequency Plasmoidal Discharges

摘要

Utilization of a positive ion beam as a potential probe has provided data on the static potential distributions within radio frequency discharges generated at pressures below 0.001 Torr. Analysis of the data, based on assumptions of essential one-dimensionality of the fields, has led to improved knowledge of not only the potentials, but also the electric field strengths and charge densities. Spectroscopic studies of pulsed discharges have indicated regions of discharge instability, the precise descriptions of which are not presently available. Some details of the observations on the buildup times of low pressure discharges are reported. A brief description of a recent hypothesis regarding the nature of the 'dark-sheath' in certain rf plasmoidal discharges is included. (Author)