Evolution of an electron energy distribution function in a weak dc magnetic field in solenoidal inductive plasma

Journal Article · Mon Dec 01 04:00:00 EST 2008 · Journal of Applied Physics

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.3035838· OSTI ID:21179990

Lee, Min-Hyong ^[1]; Choi, Seong Wook ^[2]

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1. Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Hanyang University, 17 Haengdang-dong, Seongdong-gu, Seoul 133-791 (Korea, Republic of)
2. Department of Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering, College of Engineering, Kangwon National University, 192-1 Hyoja-dong, Chuncheon-si, Gangwon-do 200-701 (Korea, Republic of)

We investigated the evolution of the electron energy distribution function (EEDF) in a solenoidal inductively coupled plasma surrounded by an axial dc magnetic field. The increase in the dc magnetic field caused the EEDF to evolve from a bi-Maxwellian to a Maxwellian distribution. At the discharge center, the number of low energy electrons was significantly reduced while the high energy electron population showed little change when a weak dc magnetic field was present. However, at the discharge radial boundary, the high energy electron population decreased significantly with the magnetic field while the change in low energy population was not prominent compared to the discharge boundary. These changes in EEDFs at the boundary and center of the discharge are due to the radial confinement and the restriction of radial transport of electrons by dc magnetic field.

• OSTI ID: 21179990
• Journal Information: Journal of Applied Physics, Journal Name: Journal of Applied Physics Journal Issue: 11 Vol. 104; ISSN JAPIAU; ISSN 0021-8979
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
ARGON
BOUNDARY LAYERS
ELECTRIC DISCHARGES
ELECTRON SPECTRA
ELECTRON TEMPERATURE
ELECTRONS
ENERGY SPECTRA
ION TEMPERATURE
MAGNETIC FIELDS
PLASMA
PLASMA CONFINEMENT
PLASMA DENSITY