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The effect of the electrostatic confinement potential on electron number densities and electron temperatures under bi-Maxwellian approximation for electron distribution function has been studied in an electrostatically plugged multi-dipole argon plasma system. Electrostatic plugging is implemented by biasing the electrically isolated multi-dipole magnetic cage. Experimental results show that the density ratio (N) and temperature ratio (T) of the two electron groups can be controlled by changing the voltage applied to the magnetic cage. Out of the two groups of electrons, one group has the cold electrons, which are plasma electrons produced by the ionization process, and the other group has the hot primary electrons.

Experimentally it is shown that a movable grounded metallic plate placed inside a multi-dipole magnetic cage can vary the diffused plasma parameters such as density, plasma potential and electron temperature. Plasma is solely produced in the source section of a double plasma device by a dc hot filament discharge and a low-density plasma is produced in the target section by local ionization of neutral gas by the high energetic electrons coming from the source section. A grounded movable stainless steel plate is inserted in the target section of the device. The floating potential of the plate also changes depending on the position of the plate inside the magnetic cage.

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