Semester
Fall
Date of Graduation
1998
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Type
MS
College
Eberly College of Arts and Sciences
Department
Physics and Astronomy
Committee Chair
Earl E. Scime.
Abstract
A resonant ion heating system has been developed for heating ions and controlling the ion temperature anisotropy in a helicon plasma source. The system uses two rectangular coils placed on either side of the cylindrical pyrex vacuum chamber to create a time dependent magnetic field transverse to the steady state axial field. A 1 kW, 25--125 kHz RF generator powers the coils. The parallel and perpendicular ion temperatures in argon plasmas are measured with a laser induced fluorescence diagnostic tuned to a metastable argon ion transition. Ion heating of over 800% has been measured for the perpendicular ion temperatures with an increase of 70% in the parallel direction. This temperature increase occurs for a specific ratio of heating frequency to ion cyclotron frequency. Evidence suggesting that ion Bernstein waves are responsible for the ion heating is presented.
Recommended Citation
Kline, John L., "Resonant ion heating in a helicon plasma" (1998). Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports. 920.
https://researchrepository.wvu.edu/etd/920