Langmuir Probe Determination of Charged Particles Density in an rf Discharge

The article presents results of probe measurements of the electron and ion densities in an argon rf discharge. The electron density is determined from the electron probe current at the space potential which is estimated by extrapolation of the linear part of the probe electron current dependence to the plasma potential. The plasma potential is calculated from the floating potential. The positive ion density is determined from the probe ion saturated current according to collisional KOPICZYNSKI and ZAKREWSKI model 1]. The agreement between the electron and ion densities is better than in the work of HOPKINS and GRAHAM 2], where the collisionless Lafram-boise theory is used under similar conditions.