Dd. Blackwell et Ff. Chen, Time-resolved measurements of the electron energy distribution function ina helicon plasma, PLASMA SOUR, 10(2), 2001, pp. 226-235
An energy analyser with the capability of making time-resolved measurements
of the instantaneous electron current in a radiofrequency (RF) plasma has
been designed and constructed. This current is then reconstructed into the
instantaneous I-V characteristic at various phases of the RF cycle. Results
are shown for a helicon wave discharge under various conditions. From the
first derivative of the I-V characteristic, it is observed that there is an
absence of high-energy electrons characteristic of strong Landau damping,
suggesting that some other mechanism is responsible for the discharge's hig
h ionization efficiency.