Diagnostics of Non-Neutral Plasmas Using an Induced-Current Electrostatic Probe

Abstract

The charge induced on an insulated conductor by a nonneutral collection of charged particles furnishes information about the macroscopic motion of such a system. Expressions for the current induced in probe by circular motion of a charged rod are derived and compared with results obtained in a nonneutral plasma confinement experiment to illustrate the usefulness of this technique.