Particle beam diagnostics for low temperature plasmas

Abstract

Summary form only given. The feasibility of using test particle diagnostics in low temperature plasmas is discussed. Emphasis will be placed on the application of heavy ion beam probe (HIBP) techniques to these plasmas. The HIBP has primarily been used in magnetized, high temperature plasmas. In these plasmas, it has been used to make spatially resolved measurements of electron density, electric potential, electron temperature, and magnetic vector potential. A number of issues arise when applying an HIBP to lower temperature and industrial plasmas. For example, the localization of the measurement in the traditional technique relies on the magnetic field. Obtaining the equivalent localization in un-magnetized plasmas can be done with crossed beam techniques or laser excitation. Beam attenuation can also be much larger in industrial plasmas than in a plasma of fusion interest, but preliminary calculations show that low mass ions have sufficient penetration in at least some plasmas, although the choice of ion will be affected by beam attenuation. Other issues associated with ion beams and electron beams will also be discussed.