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Theory Electrostatic Probes
Theory Electrostatic Probes
Theory Electrostatic Probes
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Content of unit
!! Analysis of the sheath !! Fluid plasma description !! The I-V characteristic !! How to extract plasma parameters !! How to implement a LP !! Typical experimental problems and how to face them
Sheath expansion, bandwidth limitation, probe contamination
!! Langmuir probes in magnetic fields !! Double LP, Triple LP, harmonic method for Te !! Katzumata, ballpen probes !! Druyvesteyn method for f(v) measurements, grid energy analyzer
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Content of unit
!! Analysis of the sheath !! Fluid plasma description !! The I-V characteristic !! How to extract plasma parameters !! How to implement a LP !! Typical experimental problems and how to face them
Sheath expansion, bandwidth limitation, probe contamination
!! Langmuir probes in magnetic fields !! Double LP, Triple LP, harmonic method for Te !! Katzumata, ballpen probes !! Druyvesteyn method for f(v) measurements, grid energy analyzer
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40 mm
Flush mounted can be difficult at low field line angles (as in the divertor).
R,Z
Probe Pin
Divertor Tile
Z,R
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Beautiful FRIPLE
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sheath
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sheath
The goal of any probe model is to determine the unperturbed values (in the absence of the probe) of plasma parameters from the measured values of current and voltage at the probe
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0 Vse
xs
Electrostatic potential Hypothesis Ion point source Ti = 0 zero velocity Ions are collisionless Pre-sheath potential drop Goal Determine the ion velocity at the sheath edge using the conservation of energy
Vw
vse
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1 2 mi v se = !eVse 2
1 mi v 2 = !eV 2
Conservation of energy
ni = nse (Vse V )
ni v = const
Particle conservation
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In the plasma, we could use the quasi-neutrality conditions but not in the sheath. In the sheath, we can use the Maxwell equation:
d 2V e = ! (ni ! ne ) 2 dx !0
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e ! " E = (ni # ne ) !0
1D Poisson Equation
ni = nse (Vse V )
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We assume that the electrons are Maxwellian in the sheath and that the electron temperature remain constant. Therefore the electron density falls off according to a Boltzman factor.
1/ 2 & # - Vse * d V ( x) e ( = ' nse $+ ' exp{e[V ( x) ' Vse ] / kTe }! 2 + ( dx .0 $ V ( x) ) ! , % " 2
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1/ 2
!>0
!<0
Exponential solution
!>0
e 1 ! kTe 2 Vse
mi v 2 se ! kTe
Vse ! "Te / 2e
Bohms criterion for the ion exit velocity
kTe v se ! cs = mi
No sheath forms for Vse> -Te/2e. Probes near the plasma potential need not be surrounded by a sheath. The plasma is therefore quasi-neutral up to the probe surface.
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# ! ! "
More refined analysis show that the sheath is usually 15-30 Debye length thick.
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Equation of motion
It is the momentum required per m3 per s to bring the ions instantly up to the local speed
dv dp nm v = neE ! ! mvS p dx dx
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Momentum equation
Momentum conservation
Using the particle conservation and recalling that a typical velocity is cs. Momentum equation
dp neE = dx
The force balance for electrons is between the electric field and the pressure gradients ! Boltzmann factor
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d! d (nv) = = Sp dx dx
Momentum equation for ions
Particle conservation
M ! v / cs
dv 2 dn nm v = !mcs ! mvS p dx dx
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Mach number
vse
L
M=0
dM >0 dx
We note that M cannot exceed unity (supersonic flow) without introducing an unphysical singularity in the bulk plasma. However we found from analysis on the sheath side that at the sheath entrance the velocity must be larger than cs. We conclude therefore that at the sheath edge the flow is sonic, i.e.
vse = cs
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d 2 ( pe + pi + nmv ) = 0 dx
pe + pi + nm v 2 = const
n0 n( x ) = 2 (1 + M )
n0 n( L) = nse = 2
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n n( x ) = 2 (1 + M )
n( x) = n exp(eV / kTe )
V ( x) = !kTe log[1 + M ( x) 2 ]
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Let us summarize!
V pl = 0
Electrostatic potential
! 0.7Te
Plasma flow velocity
M =1
M =0
Plasma density
nse = n / 2
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Max
w = v +v +v
2 x
2 y
2 z
Max
b = !1 / kT
c = n ( m / 2! kT )
f
Max 3/2
3/2
! = m / 2 kT
1 w = n
! Max
2 w = n ! / " exp ! ! w ( ) ( ) { }
1/2
=c
z
y
!n = f (v )dv x dv y dv z
xs
The electrons are Maxwellian and therefore the unidirectional flux can be estimated as (assuming that the plasma potential is zero at the sheath entrance):
"
"
"
!i = nwic = nsecs
! =!
!i = nwic = nsecs
eVfl I e,sat = log( ) = log kTe Ii,sat
V fl = V pl " !Te
For Hydrogen, typically #~3. However it should be determined experimentally, since the electron saturation current may be reduced in the presence of a magnetic field.
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Electron flux
The total current drawn by the probe is computed as the sum of the ion and electron currents:
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nse = n 2
n j = e cs {1 ! exp[e(Vw ! V fl ) / kTe ]} 2
Ion saturation current density
jsat
Vfl
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Ion collection
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jsat
Vfl
Vpl
Content of unit
!! Analysis of the sheath !! Fluid plasma description !! The I-V characteristic !! How to extract plasma parameters !! How to implement a LP !! Typical experimental problems and how to face them
Sheath expansion, bandwidth limitation, probe contamination
!! Langmuir probes in magnetic fields !! Double LP, Triple LP, harmonic method for Te !! Katzumata, ballpen probes !! Druyvesteyn method for f(v) measurements, grid energy analyzer
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Ipr
probe Vpr
ground
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Isat does not saturate but linearly increases for larger negative voltages
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Vfl
Problem in choosing the interpolation boundaries: interpolating over a range V>Vpl (see figure) would result in an over-estimate of the electron temperature. ~Vpl
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!V I=I sat Te
V - Vfl << 1 Te
R sheath
Te = I sat
Near the floating potential the sheath acts as a resistor with a resistance Rsheath. Therefore the sweeping frequency is limited by capacitive coupling (cables, plasma) " time resolution is limited; no fast fluctuations.
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Normally expect Esat/Isat ' (mi/me)1/2 ' 60 for D+ plasma. In a magnetized plasma with (e<<a, Esat/Isat ~ 10 is usually observed and, for low Te, strongly detached divertor plasmas, Esat/Isat ~ 1 is found. The lower than expected normal ratio (i.e. ~ 10) is due principally to the restricted electron motion in strong magnetic fields. Characteristic deviates from the simple exponential for values of Vpr > Vf electron current above Vf increases more slowly than expected " fitted Te higher than it should be. However, the ion saturation current does not change " theory still valid.
T. Tagle et al., PPCF 29 (1987) 297
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Inner target
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Theoretical characteristics: Ipr/Isat vs. (Vpr-Vf)/Te,s for Vpr < Vf for an incoming electron flux with varying fast electron density ratio: ne,f/ne,s
P. C. Stangeby., PPCF 37 (1995) 1031
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! i = " D# $ # n
probe radius a
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B field
! i = " D# $ # n
a
1/ 2
j! = 2"LaD! n0 / 4a
a " Te % L= $ ' D! # mi &
1/2
Bohm diffusion
D! =T e[eV] / 16 B
For example in TORPEX, charge exchange collisions with neutral gives l~0.4 m. While L~5cm, therefore we can use a collisionless approach.
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Content of unit
!! Analysis of the sheath !! Fluid plasma description !! The I-V characteristic !! How to extract plasma parameters !! How to implement a LP !! Typical experimental problems and how to face them
Sheath expansion, bandwidth limitation, probe contamination
!! Langmuir probes in magnetic fields !! Double LP, Triple LP, harmonic method for Te !! Katzumata, ballpen probes !! Druyvesteyn method for f(v) measurements, grid energy analyzer
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V I = I sat tanh( ) Te
Vp
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2 3 Two tips (1-2) are floating and a bias &V >>Te/e is applied between them. The third tip is also floating and measuring Vfl. The triple probe provide direct time-resolved measurements of the electron temperature: no need to sweep the probe. This also provides direct time-resolved measurements of the plasma potential, which is needed for turbulent flux measurements (see Exercise-I on Thuesday).
Te =
V + ! V fl log( 2)
ne =
2I ec s A
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Vpl = V fl + !Te
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Vpl = V fl + Te log(
I e, sat I i , sat
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Ballpen: in the presence of a magnetic field the electron current is reduced by acting on the electron collection area. Used on many fusion device (Asdes, RFX, Castor). Requires precise study of the characteristics as a function of the collector distance.
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I e = eAp ! dv x ! dv y
#" " #"
v min 2%
f ( v) v z dv z
v min =
2e(" pr ! V p ) me
#min
I e = eAp
v min
dv ! d# ! d$ v cos(# ) v 2 sin(# ) f ( v)
0 0
"min
v min = cos v
!1
1 2 ! = mv 2
m d Ie f ( v) = 2!e Ap dV 2
2 e 3 2
d 2 I e 2"e3 = 2 Ap f [ v(! )] 2 dV me
4 mV d I e F (! ) = 2 e Ap 2e dV 2
Practically, a modulation +(t) is superposed on the biasing voltage and the second harmonic component is measured which is proportional to the EEDF.
2 dI (V0 ) 1 d I (V0 ) 2 I (V ) = I [V0 + ! (t )] = I (V0 ) + ! (t ) + [! (t )] + ... 2 dV 2 dV
M. Druyvesteyn and F. Penning, Reviews of Modern Physics, vol. 12, no. 2, 87, (1940). 57 of 64
f(v||) can in principle be obtained by numerical differentiation of the I-V characteristic. In reality, tokamak data are too noisy for this to be practical (difficult environment, small signals). So, assume (experimentally justified) that f(v||) is Maxwellian, shifted in velocity space by amount corresponding to the sheath and pre-sheath potential fall:
2 Ic (Vg ) = Aqi " v||exp(-miv|| /2eTi )dv|| = Iiexp(!Zi Vg/Ti ) u
#
Vs + Vps
Note that if the RFA electronics are referenced to the torus potential (which is usual), the local Vf must first be subtracted from the experimental value of Vs if one wishes to compare with the theoretical prediction for V
DITE
5 m slit
0.5 mm slit
RFAs can also easily be operated in electron retarding mode providing now the integral electron parallel velocity distribution. This is clearly less interesting, since Te can also be accessed with a simple Langmuir probe. BUT: the RFA does yield the full electron velocity distribution, with ions removed RFA electron mode operation in DITE
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First grid
Purpose: fast ions measurements (Eion>>Tplasma) Two identical gridded energy analyzers for background subtraction
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Literature
P. C. Stangeby, The Plasma Boundary of Magnetic Fusion Devices (Institute of Physics, London, 2000). I. H. Hutchinson, Principles of Plasma Diagnostics, 2nd ed. (Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, England, 2002). F. F. Chen, Plasma Diagnostic Techniques, edited by R.H. Huddlestone and S. L. Leonard (Academic, New York, 1965). J. D. Swift and M. J. R. Schwar, Electrical Probes for Plasma Diagnostics (Lliffe, London, 1970)
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