Effect of Electron heating on the Electron Temperature Probe

Abstract

When an alternating potential, whose frequency is fairly lower than the electron plasma frequency, is applied to a probe, dc component of the probe current varies according to the nonlinear characteristic of the sheath around the probe.This fact is well known and many papers have been presented. However in this lower frequency range, sinusoidal potential which is applied to the probe seems to heat the electrons in the plasma around the probe from the fact that the measured electron temperature increases.So the theories which have been presented so far seem to need some corrections. In the present paper, a new expression of the characteristic curve of the radio frequency probe is presented. In this expression, effect of the penetration of R. F. electric field through the ion sheath is taken into consideration. A theory derived by Margenau was applied here to explain the experimental result.