Test of an electronic distribution model with macroscopic measurements performed on a proton-beam-induced neon plasma containing nitrogen impurities

A calculation of the medium- and low-energy part of the electronic distribution is described, together with its indirect comparison to experimental results. The study deals with a plasma created by a proton beam (2 MeV, approximately 2 mu A cm -2 ) impinging on a Ne (about 10 Torr) target, with N 2 impurities. Microwave measurements of electronic density and effective collision frequency agree satisfactorily with calculations using a theoretical distribution function.