Electric sheath and presheath in a collisionless, finite ion temperature plasma

Journal Article · Tue Apr 01 00:00:00 EST 1980 · Phys. Fluids; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.863062· OSTI ID:5456247

Emmert, G A; Wieland, R M; Mense, A T; Davidson, J N

The plasma-sheath equation for a collisionless plasma with arbitrary ion temperature in plane geometry is formulated. Outside the sheath, this equation is approximated by the plasma equation, for which an analytic solution for the electrostatic potential is obtained. In addition, the ion distribution function, the wall potential, and the ion energy and particle flux into the sheath are explicitly calculated. The plasma-sheath equation is also solved numerically with no approximation of the Debye length. The numerical results compare well with the analytical results when the Debye length is small.

• Research Organization: University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin, 53706
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-26
• OSTI ID: 5456247
• Journal Information: Phys. Fluids; (United States), Vol. 23:4
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
COLLISIONLESS PLASMA
PLASMA SHEATH
ANALYTICAL SOLUTION
BOLTZMANN STATISTICS
DEBYE LENGTH
DISTRIBUTION FUNCTIONS
ELECTRIC POTENTIAL
ELECTRONS
EQUATIONS
ION TEMPERATURE
NUMERICAL SOLUTION
PLASMA DIAGNOSTICS
ELEMENTARY PARTICLES
FERMIONS
LEPTONS
PLASMA
700105* - Fusion Energy- Plasma Research- Plasma Kinetics-Theoretical- (-1987)
700102 - Fusion Energy- Plasma Research- Diagnostics