Electron and ion momentum transfer from plasma electrical conductivity in a magnetic field

Abstract

The electrical conductivity of a partially to strongly (Coulomb collision-dominated) ionized dc plasma in a dc magnetic field was investigated at low frequency by two experimental methods, one utilizing the Hall effect and the other a plasma interaction with an induced solenidal electric field. Electron-ion and electron-atom momentum transfer collision frequencies and ion mobility in the magnetic field (ion slip) were inferred. The helium abnormal negative glow plasma was used at pressures of 0.5 to 2.5 Torr, electron densities of 1 to 32 × 1017m−3 and temperature ≈ 600 °K; the magnetic field ranged up to 675 G. The data support Shkarofsky's theory of partial ionization. When ion motion becomes dominant, the resulting ion mobility is 75% larger that He+ mobility in helium taken from drift tube measurements. This disagreement suggests that further theoretical work on ion mobility in a plasma is needed.