Observation of ion-ion counter streaming instability in presheath-sheath region of a mesh grid immersed in low temperature plasma

Abstract

Instabilities in the sheath-presheath region formed in plasma-boundary layers are known to modify the particle flow velocities and their distribution functions, hence influencing the particle transport in this region significantly. In this paper, experimental observations of the ion-ion counter streaming instability excited in the sheath-presheath region of Argon (Ar), Helium (He), and Ar + He plasmas have been reported. These instabilities are excited in the vicinity of a stainless steel mesh grid placed inside the plasma. Floating potential (FP) fluctuations from the grid and from a movable Langmuir probe placed in the sheath-presheath region are measured. The frequency spectra of FP fluctuations in an argon plasma show a dominant broad peak in the range of 10–20 kHz centering around 15 kHz, which is identified as due to the ion-ion counter streaming instability. This frequency peak exists only in the sheath-presheath region and ceases to exist when the mesh grid is covered with a thin metal foil from one side, which restricts the counter streaming of the ions. The measured wave number, k, of the wave matches quite well with the calculated one from the dispersion relation of ion-ion counter streaming instability. The experiments are repeated to study the instability in He and Ar + He (two ion species) plasmas in similar experimental conditions. The neutral pressure threshold for sustenance of this instability has also been observed.