Carlson, R. W.

Physica 30
Okuda, T. 182-192
Oskam, H. J.
1964

STUDIES OF THE DYNAMIC PROPERTIES OF

LANGMUIR PROBES I : MEASURING METHODS *)
by R. W. CARLSON**), T. OKUDAI_) and H. J. OSKAM
Department of Electrical Engineering, University of Minnesota,
Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S.A.

synopsis
Three different measuring techniques are presented for use in the study of the
transient behavior of Langmuir probes, immersed in a gaseous plasma. These techni-
ques make it possible to study the dynamic behavior of positive and negative space-
charge sheaths. A special type of Langmuir probe required for these studies was de-
veloped and the precautions which have to be taken with respect to the various com-
ponents of the measuring circuit are discussed. Plasma phenomena observed when
suddenly changing the potential of the probe with respect to the plasma are described.

I. Introduction. Information about various gaseous-plasma parameters

such as electron energy, electron density, etc., may be obtained by measuring
the Langmuir probe curve 1). During the past decade there has been an in-
creased use of the dynamic probe, in which the voltage difference between
the probe and the plasma is changed rapidly while measuring the resulting
probe current s-10). This increased use has resulted from interest in studying
the properties of time-varying plasmas and those of plasmas produced in
gases which contaminated the probe surface.
Mamurin7) used a triangular pulse with variable slope and observed
that the electron temperature calculated from the voltage-current curve
depended on the rise time of the voltage pulse as well as on the type of gas
in which the plasma was produced. For example, in a mercury vapor dis-
charge the rise time required to eliminate the influence of the transient
behavior of the probe sheath on the determination of the electron tempera-
ture was found to be much larger than that for a plasma produced in hy-
drogen.
K am ke and Roses) observed current spikes at the beginning and end
of the current pulse when they used a voltage pulse with a small rise time.

*) Work sponsored by Aeronautical Systems Division, LVright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio.
under Contract No. AF 33(657)-8685.
**) Part of a thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master
of Science, University of Minnesota, June 1962.
t) Present address: Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan.

- 182 -
 DYNAMIC PROPERTIES OF LANGMUIR PROBES. I 183

Waymoutha) used a triangular pulse (rise time 10 microseconds for

20 volts) for the determination of plasma parameters in neon-mercury
mixtures.
Bills, Holt and McClureie) used the voltage-pulse technique (pulse
width 2 microseconds) for the study of time-varying mercury discharges.
Unless a careful study of the transient response of the space-charge
sheath surrounding the probe is made, the interpretation of the experimen-
tal data remains doubtful.
There are, as yet, no systematic studies available concerning the pre-
cautions which have to be taken when employing the dynamic Langmuir
probe method, although various investigators have suggested possible sour-
ces of error when using the static probe methodli). Extensive studies con-
cerning the dynamic behavior of the Langmuir probe have been carried out
by the authors and the methods employed during these studies are described
in the next sections. Moreover, the experimental precautions which have
to be taken in order to avoid a possible false interpretation of the result
are presented. The results obtained with these methods and their discussion
will be given in subsequent papers.

II. Methods of measurement. The current collected by a Langmuir probe

as a function of the voltage between the probe and the plasma is shown in

ION COLLECTION 1ION AND ELECTRON ELECTRON

COLLECTION

POSITIVE POSITIVE
SHEATH

I /i I

Fig. 1. Idealized Langmuir probe curve. The values of the ion and electron current
j+ and jc refer to the plane probe.

fig. 1 for the case of an ideal plane and cylindrical probe. It is possible to
distinguish the following three probe-current collection regions :
(a) The highly negative probe region. In this region the probe is at a
184 R. W. CARLSON, T. OKUDA AND H. J. OSKAM

negative potential with respect to the plasma and the voltage difference
is large enough to prevent plasma electrons from arriving at the probe.
The probe is surrounded by a positive space-charge sheath and the probe
collects ions only.
(b) The slightly negative probe region, in which the probe is surrounded
by a positive space-charge sheath, while part of the plasma electrons, dif-
fusing across the probe-sheath edge, reach the probe and contribute to the
probe current.
(c) The positive probe region, in which the ions are prevented from
reaching the probe. The space-charge sheath is negative and the probe col-
lects electrons only.
The magnitude of the probe current and its dependence on the voltage
difference between the probe and the plasma may give information about
the average energy of the plasma electrons, the plasma density and the
plasma potential.
Since the static properties of the Langmuir probe are different for the
three probe-collection regions it was felt worthwhile to be able to study the
dynamic probe behavior separately in the three regions and, moreover, to
investigate the dynamic transitions between the various regions.

(1) The pulsed-probe method. In the pulsed-probe method a voltage

pulse is applied to a probe which is biassed at the desired potential with
respect to the plasma. The resulting transient probe current is displayed
and measured on the screen of an oscilloscope. By changing the probe bias
and the magnitude of the voltage pulse the dynamic behavior of the probe
can be investigated in the various probe-current collection regions; the
transitions between these regions can also be studied.
A block diagram of the measuring circuit is given in fig. 2.

OSCILLOSCOPE (A) OSCILLOSCOPE (B)

P”lsE
GENERATOR 1
=

1
BATTERIES qf
\: i

*
/- BATTERIES

Fig. 2. Circuit for the pulsed-probe method.

 DYNAMIC PROPERTIES OF LANGMUIR PROBES. I 185

(2) The high-frequency probe method. In the high-frequency probe

method the same circuit as that used for the pulsed-probe method is em-
ployed but the voltage pulse generator is replaced by a sinusoidal voltage
generator. The voltage and resuhing current are dispIayed on an oscil-
loscope and the curve obtained is studied as a function of probe bias, vol-
tage frequency and amplitude.

(3) The time method. In this method

the probe is held fixed at an appropriate bias with respect to the plasma
and the charged particle density of the plasma is slightly varied. The change
of the probe current is observed by means of an oscilloscope. A block dia-
gram of the circuit is shown in fig. 3.

OSCILL 3 SCOPE

BATTERIES
IO K OHMS

93 OHMS
/

I I -L
5
BATTERIES
93 OHMS

BATTERIES

OSClLLOkOPE

Fig. 3. Circuit for the time varying plasma-static probe method

The Langnuir probes, as described in the next section, were inserted into
the positive column of a dc discharge produced in helium or neon. The dis-
charge tube was permanently attached to an ultra-high vacuum gas hand-
ling system of the Alpert typerz) 13).

III. The shielded Langmuir *robe. When a probe is held at a sufficiently

negative potential with respect to the plasma the probe collects only po-
sitive ions and the change in probe conduction current due to a change
in probe potential is rather small. However, the displacement current due
to the probe-sheath capacitance may become appreciable and the deter-
mination of its value may give information concerning the probe-sheath
capacitance. The part of the probe surrounded by a glass shield, as is usu-
186 R. W. CARLSON, T. OKUDA AND H. J. OSKAM

ally used for the static probe method, forms a capacitive impedance with
the plasma. This impedance is in parallel with the probe-sheath and pre-
sheath impedances as is shown in fig. 414). Therefore, it masks the displace-
ment current due to the true probe-sheath capacitance as a consequence
PLASMA
MPEDANCE

PROSE SHEATH

93 OHM PROBE TO GLASS SHIELD

MEASURING GLASS SHIELD TO PLASMA
RESISTOR IMPEDANCE IMPEDANCE

7 F

Fig. 4. Equivalent circuit for a glass-shielded Langmuir probe.

of the large spurious displacement current signal. Preliminary tests were

conducted with a probe completely covered with glass in order to study the
influence of the glass shield on the probe-current response. These studies
showed that, in general, the commonly used glass shield around part of the
probe influences the results appreciably when studying the transient be-
havior of probes.
In order to eliminate the above mentioned complications a shielded probe
was constructed which is shown in fig. 5. This probe assembly consists of
a tungsten wire (the probe) surrounded by a thin glass insulator (not in
contact with the plasma) and a Kovar cylindrical shield, which is externally
and internally covered with glass. This glass coating is necessary in order
to prevent the collection of charged particles by the cylinder, since this
large “probe” would collect a large “probe” current and in this way influence
the properties of the plasma in the neighborhood of the probe. When study-
ing the response of the probe current due to the changing probe potential
the outer shield is grounded as shown in figs. 2 and 3. This eliminates the
influence of spurious displacement current signals completely since they
do not pass through the measuring resistance as is shown schematically in
fig. 6. The impedance due to the probe-shield capacitance (of the order of
1 pF for the probe of fig. 5) is in parallel with the measuring resistance, but
it is very large with respect to the value of this resistance (about 93 ohms)
for all frequencies of interest (up to several megacycles). Moreover, the
parallel impedance of the coaxial measuring cable is also very large with
 DYNAMIC PROPERTIES OF LANGMUIR PROBES. I 187

Fig. 5. Shielded Langmuir probe.

PLASMA
IMPEDANCE

PRE-SHEATH
IMPEDANCE

PROBE KOVAR SHIELD

SHEATH TO PLASMA
IMPEDANCE IMPEDANCE GENERATOR

93 OHM
MEASURING PROBE TO
RESISTOR KOVAR SHIELD
IMPEDANCE
it
&.& c L
Fig. 6. Equivalent circuit for a metal-shielded Langmuir probe with grounded shield.

respect to 93 ohms up to frequencies corresponding to a period equal to

the rise time of the voltage pulse (about 0.2 microseconds) used in the pul-
sed-probe method.

IV. The influence of the measuring circuit parameters on the probe-cwrent

res$onzse curves. Several precautions have to be taken with respect to the
measuring circuit during the studies in order to avoid its influence on the
probe-current response curves..
188 R. W. CARLSON, T. OKUDA AND H. J. OSKAM

It was found that the following three circuit com.ponents may influence
strongly the shape of this curve.

(1) The circuit for maintaining the plasma. The impedance 2,

present between the output terminals of the power supply, used for main-
taining the dc gas discharge, and the probe-current measuring circuit may
cause part of the dynamic probe-current signal to flow through the dis-
charge current limiting resistor and the power supply via this impedance.
It was found that the shape of the probe-current response curve varied
depending on whether the anode or cathode of the dc discharge tube was
taken as reference electrode.
Detailed studies of the discrepancy between the static and dynamic probe
curves showed that the influence of the impedance 2, on the measurements
was larger for the probe-cathode connection than for the probe-anode con-
nection. It is well knownrs) that the impedance of the cathode-negative
glow region is larger than that of the anode region. Therefore, a relatively
large part of the dynamic probe currents may flow via the impedance 2,
to the probe circuit, when the cathode is used as the reference electrode.
Due to the presence of 2, the change in cathode potential may also be
delayed appreciably with respect to that of the anode. This induces a
transient change in the discharge voltage and thus a transient change in
discharge current and plasma density.
In order to eliminate these effects completely, batteries were used as the
discharge power supply; this made it possible to avoid the impedance 2,.
Under these conditions, either probe connection gave the same result. The
influence of the impedance of the discharge series resistance was reduced
by the introduction of a parallel capacitance as shown in fig. 2.

(2) The measuring resistance for the probe current. In order to

eliminate the influence of the measuring resistance on the shape of the probe-
current signal, the value of this resistance should be low enough to ensure
that the combination of this resistance with the parallel capacitance due
to the connecting cables, preamplifier and probe-shield combination produ-
ces delays smaller than the rise time of the applied voltage pulse. The value
of the measuring resistance was varied and it was determined that a value
of 93 ohms, which was equal to the impedance of the measuring cable,
was sufficiently small for the employed voltage pulse rise time of 0.2 ,us, and
the existing parallel capacitance of about 35 pF.

(3) The power supply for the probe-bias voltage. The unavoid-
able parallel capacitance (to ground) present in the probe measuring circuit
may cause a distortion of the pulse-voltage waveform if a large resistance
is inserted between the pulse generator and the reference electrode. As a
 DYNAMIC PROPERTIES OF LANGMUIR PROBES. I 189

consequence, the use of a voltage divider having a large resistance must be

avoided. Therefore, a battery consisting of a number of small voltage cells
was used as the supply for the probe-bias voltage.

V. Influence of the anode sheath on the dynamic probe-current resfionse.

During the studies the anode of the dc discharge was taken as the reference
electrode for the probe-bias voltage. Therefore, the plasma between the
probe sheath and the anode sheath as well as the anode sheath itself are
part of the probe circuit and their influence on the probe-current response
curve should be small with respect to that of the probe-plasma sheath.
In a subsequent paper the contribution of the plasma to the delay in
the transient electron collection by the probe will be discussed. The in-
fluence of the anode sheath was investigated by replacing the normal anode
(2.5 cm diameter), which was surrounded by a faint glow, by a very small
anode, having the same dimensions as the probe. When the small anode was
used it was surrounded by a bright glow indicating a very strongly developed
anode fall. When comparing the probe-current response curves in the two
cases the main difference was the appearance of current spikes in the case
of the smaller anode.
This difference may be explained in the following way. In the probe
measuring circuit the probe-sheath impedance is in series with the plasma
impedance and the anode-sheath impedance. For the large anode both the
anode-sheath impedance and the plasma impedance can be neglected with
respect to the probe-sheath impedance, which is the one to be studied.
However, when using a very small anode the impedance of the anode fall
may dominate that of the probe sheath. Due to the relatively large radius
of a strongly developed anode sheath the associated capacitance C, can be
expected to be considerably smaller than that of the probe sheath. The RC
time of the probe-current measuring circuit is then determined by the series
combination of the relatively small effective resistance of the circuit and
Ca, since this capacitance is in series with and smaller than all other ca-
pacitances of the circuit. As a consequence of the small value of C, a rather
large displacement current spike can be expected initially. It is obvious
that no single RC time describes the transient properties of this circuit. The
influence of the anode-sheath resistance and inductance and those of the
other plasma regions contribute at later times also to the transient response
of the circuit.
It is believed that, when using a large anode as the reference electrode
for the probe voltage, the influence of the anode-fall region on the studies
can be neglected.

VI. The influence of a sudden change in probe voltage on the plasma $ro-
perties. Two phenomena observed when applying a voltage pulse to a probe
190 R. W. CARLSON, T. OKUDA AND H. 1. OSKAM

immersed in a plasma will be discussed in this section. These phenomena

concern the change in the plasma properties induced by the applied voltage
pulse. It is necessary to investigate the possible influence this might have
on the measured probe-current response.
These studies were conducted by using the pulsed-probe method and
monitoring the light emitted by the plasma at various regions of the dis-
charge. The light transient was measured by means of a photomultiplier.

(1) The plasma-modulation effect. The modulation of the plasma

properties by the sudden voltage change applied to the probe is inevitable
since the applied voltage change is never completely confined to the plasma
sheath around the probe. It is necessary to separate this modulation effect
from the measurements in order to obtain reliable information about the
probe-current response.
It was found that the modulation effect existed for all values of the bias
voltage of the probe and that it occurs over the whole length of the positive
column of the dc discharge with the largest effects at both ends of the posi-
tive column, where the impedance is largest. A plausible explanation of the
plasma modulation phenomenon will be given in a subsequent paper.
The modulation effect may influence the shape as well as the magnitude
of the dynamic probe current. Fortunately, it was observed that, in most
cases, the modulation effect did not affect the shape of the probe-current
response curve, since there was no relation between the waveform of the
photomultiplier signal and that of the probe current signal. Under certain
experimental conditions, however, there exists evidence that the modulation
effect may influence the shape of the probe-current signal. In particular,
this effect is observed when the conditions approach those corresponding to
spontaneous discharge oscillations. Under the condition that the discharge
current was not close to the value for which spontaneous oscillations occur,
influence of the plasma modulation effect on the transient probe current
curve could in general be neglected.

(2) The excitation of discharge oscillations. When the dc dis-

charge conditions are close to the condition for which spontaneous discharge
oscillations (moving striations, etc.) exist, oscillations can be excited by
applying a sudden voltage change to the probe. Depending on the dc dis-
charge conditions, and the magnitude and rise time of the voltage change,
damped oscillations or continuous oscillations may be excited. When
studying the probe-current response to a probe-voltage change this con-
dition has to be avoided, since it may lead to a false interpretation of the
probe- current response curves.
In the case that an oscillation has been excited due to the probe-voltage
change the whole discharge is modulated by this oscillation. The modulation
 DYNAMIC PROPERTIES OF LANGMUIR PROBES. I 191

pattern was observed by monitoring the light emitted by the discharge. It

was found that this pattern has a periodicity with respect to the location
along the discharge tube. Therefore, the excitation of the oscillation can be
interpreted as the creation of moving striations.

VII, Summary and conclusions. The methods described were designed

for the study of the dynamic properties of the Langmuir probe. These
studies might also lead to a better understanding of the dynamic behavior
of space-charge sheaths.
During the development and testing of the measuring methods it was
found that the following precautions have to be taken:
1) The conventionally used probe wherein part of the probe is shielded
from the plasma by glass must be replaced by a probe which is shielded from
the plasma by a metal shield. This metal shield must be electrically in-
sulated from the plasma and must be connected to a proper point of the
measuring circuit.
2) The power supply for maintaining the dc discharge should be designed
such as to avoid any parasitic impedance with respect to the probe measuring
circuit.
3) The measuring resistance for the probe current should be small enough
to ensure a negligible influence on the transient probe-current response.
4) The power supply required for supplying the probe-bias voltage must
have an impedance sufficiently small such that its influence on the wave-
form of the probe-voltage change can be neglected.
5) During the studies the effect of plasma modulation and the excitation
of discharge oscillations should be monitored by means of measuring the
light emitted by the plasma. This is necessary in order to ensure that the
influence of the plasma modulation effect is negligible and that no spon-
taneous or induced oscillations are present.
6) The dimensions of the anode, when used as reference electrode for
the probe voltage, should be sufficiently large so that the anode-plasma
sheath does not influence the dynamic probe properties.

Acknowledgements. Many helpful suggestions were given by L. M.

Chanin and other members of the study group on Plasma Physics, while
the skill of J. Smulders made the construction of the experimental tubes
and the shielded Langmuir probes possible.

Received 4-6-63
192 DYNAMIC PROPERTIES OF LANGMUIR PROBES. I

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