Time-resolved ion flux measurements in pulsed, electron-beam-generated plasmas.

Time-resolved ion flux and energy distributions were measured at an electrode located adjacent to pulsed, electron-beam-generated plasmas in argon and oxygen. Temporal variations in the incident Ar+, O+, and O(2)+ energy and flux were correlated to changes in the electron temperature and plasma density. The decay time of the oxygen plasma is found to be shorter than that of the argon plasma, which is understood by considering the different loss mechanisms of each ion species.