Abstract
A simplified approach in the use of focused microwave systems for the investigation of radially varying plasmas is assessed by comparison to electrostatic probes on a dc arc argon jet. The approach consists in the mathematical inversion into a radial electron density distribution, of a fit to the phase shift profile obtained by scanning a focused interferometer across a cylindrical plasma. A close fit given by Bockasten's coefficient method, and a loose fit utilizing a modified Gaussian, are considered. The assessment covers a wide range of radial refractive index gradients (as large as 0.4/cm) with electron density up to critical on axis. The modified Gaussian fit approach shows a maximum disagreement of 25% relative to the probe results for an impact parameter smaller than 0.5 and of 350% across the plasma jet. A simple modification to the method would apparently permit the reduction of the overall discrepancy to less than 30%. The close fit is found to yield discrepancies which are worse by a factor of 2–3.
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