Measurement of the energy distribution of trapped and free electrons in a current-free double layer

Abstract

In the high potential plasma, upstream of the double layer, the measured electron energy distribution function (EEDF) shows a very clear change in slope at energies (εbreak) corresponding to the double layer potential drop. Electrons with lower energy are Maxwellian with a temperature of 8eV, whereas those with higher energy have a temperature of 5eV. The EEDF in the downstream plasma has a temperature of 5eV. Over the range of pressures wherein the double layer and accelerated ion beam are detected by analysis of a retarding field energy analyzer, the strength of the double layer corresponds to the energy where the slope changes in the EEDF (εbreak). We deduce that the downstream electrons come from upstream electrons that have sufficient energy to overcome the potential of the double layer, and that only a single upstream plasma source is required to maintain this phenomenon.