Experimental Study of Electrostatic Ion Cyclotron Waves in a Plasma

Resonance peaks observed near the ion cyclotron harmonics (\(n{}5\)) of H + , H 2 + and H 3 + are studied in a low density plasma column. According to the dependences on r f voltage applied across a plasma column and electron temperature of the resonance frequency, it is conjectured that the behaviour of these resonances is caused by the electrostatic ion cyclotron waves propagating almost perpendicular to the magnetic field. Ions collected by ion collectors and electrodes are accelerated perpendicularly up to 3 keV, while the electron temperature displays little increase. The observed plasma loading indicates that the efficiency of power transfer between the electrodes and the plasma is greater than 50 per cent.