We show that charge-exchange and other ion-neutral collisions can reduce the power transmission factor of the plasma sheath, thereby lowering the ion impact energy and target plate sputtering. The power transmission factor relates the heat flux reaching the divertor target to the of the surface: (Delta)= Q(sub surf)/n(sub e)T(sub e)C(sub s). Experimental data from the DIII-D tokamak suggest that (Delta) could be as low as 2-3 near the region of peak divertor particle flux, instead of the 7-8 expected from usual sheath theory. Several effects combine to allow ion-neutral interactions to be important in the divertor plasma sheath. The shallow angle of incidence of the magnetic field (1--3(degree) in DIII-D) leads to the spatial extension of the sheath from approximately (pi)i (approx) 1 mm normal to the plate to several centimeters along the field lines. Ionization reduces the sheath potential, and collisions reduce the ion impact energy.
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