A Collisional Model of the Positive Ion Collection by a Cylindrical Langmuir Probe

This article presents a new theoretical model of ion collection by a cylindrical Langmuir probe at medium and higher pressures which we call the “modified Talbot and Chou model”. The model makes use of the following theories; (a) the kinetic theory by Chou, Talbot and Willis [6, 7] and (b) the theory by Zakrzewski and Kopiczynski [10, 11]. The basic idea is to calculate the decrease of probe ion current due to collisions with neutrals according [6, 7] and the increase of the ion current due to destruction of an orbital motion according [10, 11]. The computed results are presented in the form of graphs suitable for probe data interpretation at medium and higher pressures. The applicability of the results at particular plasma conditions is also discussed.