Thermal plasma source of hydrogen atoms and ions

A cascade arc is used as a source for a H/Ar particle beam. The plasma is produced at thermal plasma conditions at 0.1 to 1 bar. It is expanded with a high velocity into a vacuum chamber. Measurements with a Langmuir double probe and with a mass spectrometer are performed. The resulting parameters of the plasma and the extd. ions are discussed. Mol. processes as charge exchange and dissociative recombination appear to be important. [on SciFinder (R)