Temporal behaviour of the potential confined electrons in the central cell and in the plug region during a period with thermal barriers

Abstract

An increase with time of the central-cell electron temperature during a period with thermal barrier potentials has been observed. The increase is explained by an improvement of the electron energy confinement due to the presence of thermal barriers. Different evolutions of the electron energy in the plug region have been observed; these are closely related with the variation in time of the confining potential of the plug electrons. The observed behaviour of the potential confined electrons provides the first data set for the evolution of the effect of thermal isolation caused by the formation of a thermal barrier in the kilovolt range.