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Reflection of ion-acoustic waves from bipolar potential structures

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  13 March 2009

Y. Nakamura
Affiliation:
Institute of Space and Astronautical Science, Komaba, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 153, Japan
Joyanti Chutia
Affiliation:
Institute of Space and Astronautical Science, Komaba, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 153, Japan

Abstract

Reflection of ion-acoustic waves from the ion sheath in front of the separation grid in a double-plasma device has been investigated experimentally. The plasma potential φ of the source plasma was controlled relative to that of the target plasma. When eφ < κΤe, where Τe is the electron temperature, no reflection was observed. The reason for this is that ions are drifting towards the grid with the Bohm velocity, i.e. the ion-acoustic velocity. When eφ > κΤe the reflected wave consists of the ion-acoustic wave and the ion beam mode. The reflection coefficient for the ion-acoustic wave is about unity. This high efficiency is due to reflection of the ions themselves.

Information

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1989

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