Impedance probe and dc probe studies on a collisional plasma in an arc discharge

Abstract

The collision-dominated plasma of a hot-cathode arc discharge in argon has been studied by a plane probe acting simultaneously as a rf impedance probe and a dc probe. Measurements carried out under different discharge conditions show that the electron temperatures, as given by the rf and dc methods, are in excellent agreement and that the corresponding electron densities agree fairly well, the agreement being better than that mentioned earlier for the plasma of a glow discharge. The thickness of the probe sheath as a function of the sheath voltage, as measured by the rf