A model for steady-state large-volume plasma generation |
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Authors: | Uhm KS Miller ID Schneider RF Weidman DJ |
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Institution: | US Naval Surface Warfare Center, Silver Spring, MD ; |
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Abstract: | A simple scheme for generating a uniform, steady-state, large-volume plasma is presented. The weakly magnetized plasma is created by direct ionization of the background gas by low-energy electrons generated from thermionic filaments. An annular arrangement of the filaments ensures a uniform plasma density in the radial direction as predicted by theory. Experiments have been performed to characterize the plasma generated in such a configuration. In order to explain the experimental observation, a bulk plasma theory based on plasma transport by means of cross-field diffusion is developed. As assumed in the theoretical model, the experimental measurements indicate a uniform plasma density along the axis. Both the theory and experiment indicate that the plasma density is a function of the square of the external magnetic field. The theory also predicts the plasma density to be proportional to the neutral density to the two-thirds power, in agreement with the experimental data. The experimental data agree well with theoretical prediction for a broad range of system parameters |
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