Towards an optimal antenna for helicon waves excitation

Journal Article · Sat Oct 15 04:00:00 EDT 2005 · Journal of Applied Physics

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.2081107· OSTI ID:20719569

Guittienne, Ph; Chevalier, E; Hollenstein, Ch ^[1]

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1. HELYSSEN Sarl, 24 Route du Pavement, 1018 Lausanne (Switzerland)

Helicon sources are known to produce high-density plasmas and have found many applications. Different types of antenna have been used for helicon excitation but none of them generate a radio-frequency (rf) field that matches the helicon wave field determined by the dispersion equation. We show that this match can be obtained to a very good approximation by using a birdcage type antenna. Our plasma experiments show that a helicon regime with electron densities up to 5x10{sup 12} cm{sup -3} is obtained for very low rf power injection (typically 200 W), and at an unusual operating pressure up to 25 Pa.

• OSTI ID: 20719569
• Journal Information: Journal of Applied Physics, Journal Name: Journal of Applied Physics Journal Issue: 8 Vol. 98; ISSN JAPIAU; ISSN 0021-8979
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
ANTENNAS
DISPERSION RELATIONS
ELECTRON DENSITY
EQUATIONS
EXCITATION
HELICON WAVES
PLASMA
PLASMA DENSITY
PLASMA PRESSURE
PRESSURE RANGE PA
RADIOWAVE RADIATION