NONLINEAR PERMITTIVITY OF SURFACE-WAVE PRODUCED PLASMAS

The origin of the nonlinearity of plasma permittivity in high-frequenc y discharges maintained by ionizing surface waves is studied. It is sh own that in a diffusion controlled regime the plasma density at the di scharge axis is determined nonlocally in terms of the electric field i ntensity by accounting for the small nonlinear effect of recombination , along with diffusion in the particle balance equation. The axial sel fconsistent distribution of the surface wave field intensity and of th e plasma density of discharges are obtained. The transition to a 'pure ' diffusion and a 'pure' recombination regime is considered. A brief d iscussion is included regarding the case of a nonlinearity due to a we ak dependence of the ionization frequency on the plasma density (e.g. due to stepwise processes).