Sheath formation in collisional, low pressure, and magnetized plasma

Abstract

Formation of a plasma sheath is studied in collisional and magnetized low pressure plasma. The magnetic field has a tilted configuration. The model provides plasma profiles for a wide range of magnetic field strengths and tilting angles. It is shown that the sheath entry velocity in the magnetized case should be chosen for all three components of ion velocity rather than a single component (which is directed along the sheath). It is found in the collisionless case that the net magnitude of the ion velocity gains the characteristic ion speed (Bohm speed). This, in turn, is found to retain the monotonic variation of the ion density. Ionization is considered with constant ionizing frequency. Comments are made on the sheath thickness and the retention of the Debye sheath at a low angle, for low pressure magnetized plasma.