Trapping of electrons in troughs of self generated electromagnetic standing waves in a bounded plasma column

Abstract

Observations and measurements are reported on electron trapping in troughs of self-generated electromagnetic standing waves in a bounded plasma column confined in a minimum-B field. The boundaries are smaller than the free space wavelength of the waves. Earlier work of researchers primarily focused upon electron localization effects induced by purely electrostatic perturbation. We demonstrate the possibility in the presence of electromagnetic standing waves generated in the bounded plasma column. The electron trapping is verified with electrostatic measurements of the plasma floating potential, electromagnetic measurements of the wave field profile, and optical intensity measurements of Argon ionic line at 488 nm. The experimental results show a reasonably good agreement with predictions of a Monte Carlo simulation code that takes into account all kinematical and dynamical effects in the plasma in the presence of bounded waves and external fields. V C 2014 AIP Publishing LLC. [http://dx.