Ion-Burst Excited by a Grid in a Plasma

Abstract

The ion-burst excited by a pulsed mesh grid in a plasma is studied experimentally in connection with the sheath structure. The energy distribution of the ions participating in the burst is found to be a broad one. The attenuation of the peak amplitude of the response is confirmed to be due to collisionless damping. The shape of the ion-burst is accounted for by the application of the Child-Langmuir law which gives the approximate potential profile of the sheath around the grid. The potential is also measured by using ion transit time effects in the sheath.