Space-charge limits of ion sensitive probes

作者：Brunner D^*; LaBombard B; Ochoukov R; Sullivan R; Whyte D

来源：Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion, 2013, 55(12): 125004.

DOI：10.1088/0741-3335/55/12/125004

Ion sensitive probes (ISPs) are used to measure ion temperature and plasma potential in magnetized plasmas. Their operation relies on the difference in electron and ion Larmor radii to preferentially collect the ion species on a recessed electrode. Because of their simple two-electrode construction and optimal geometry for heat flux handling they are an attractive probe to use in the high heat flux boundary of magnetic confinement fusion experiments. However, the integrity of its measurements is rarely, if ever, checked under such conditions. Recent measurements with an ISP in the Alcator C-Mod tokamak have shown that its ion current is space-charge limited and thus its current-voltage (I-V) response does not contain information on the ion temperature. We numerically solve a 1D Vlasov-Poisson model of ion collection to determine how much bias is needed to overcome space-charge effects and regain the classic I-V characteristic with an exponential decay. Prompted by the observations of space charge in C-Mod, we have performed a survey of ISP measurements reported in the literature. Evidence of space-charge limited current collection is found on many probes, with few authors noting its presence. Some probes are able to apparently exceed the classic 1D space-charge limit because electrons can E x B drift into the probe volume, partially reducing the net ion charge; it is argued that this does not, however, change the basic problem that space charge compromises the measurement of ion temperature. Guidance is given for design of ISPs to minimize the effects of space charge.

• 出版日期2013-12