PLASMA ELECTRON HEATING BY ABSORPTION OF COLD ELECTRONS

Abstract

The electron temperature of a quiescent plasma in a metal discharge chamber, where the walls serve as the anode, can be raised by introducing a second anode consisting of 0.0025‐cm‐diam tungsten wires held at potentials as high as 100 V with respect to the walls. Hot electrons orbit the wires and return to the plasma. Cold electrons are absorbed. Smooth temperature variation, without introduction of noise, has been achieved between 0.5 and 4.0 eV.