Sheath growth in a flowing high-pressure plasma

Experimental measurements of sheath thickness and sheath growth in an unseeded atmospheric-pressure flame plasma of ionization density approximately=10 15 m -3 and electron temperature approximately=1800K have been compared with analytical solutions for these parameters. The analysis is an extension of that of Clements and Smy (1969) which allows for finite probe size and plasma flow velocity. The results, which are applicable for large sheath formation on the upstream side of a cylindrical probe, are in good agreement with theoretical predictions.