Scanning internal probe for plasma particle, fluctuation, and LIF tomographic measurements

An internal scanning probe capable of spatially resolved measurements throughout a horizontal (r,z) cross section of the expansion region between a helicon plasma source and an expansion chamber is described. For complete diagnosis of the expanding magnetoplasma, the probe is designed to simultaneously measure the electron temperature, the electron density, the plasma potential, the magnetic fluctuation spectrum in three dimensions, and the two-dimensional ion velocity distribution function (through a tomographic inversion method). The probe design and operational characteristics as well as representative measurements are presented.