Fully and partially non-neutral plasma equilibria in a variable-electrode-radius Malmberg-Penning trap.
Two types of plasma equilibria are self-consistently computed for a three-electrode Malmberg-Penning trap that has an increase in the radius of a section of the center electrode. When a single species, fully non-neutral plasma is confined within the trap, equilibria are predicted in which the plasma produces a three-dimensional electric potential well. Partially non-neutral plasma equilibria are predicted to be possible by confining a second, oppositely signed plasma species within the three-dimensional well produced by the first plasma species. Conditions that are necessary for partially non-neutral plasma equilibria to be self-consistently possible are reported. A partially non-neutral plasma formed of electrons and singly charged xenon ions is then specifically considered, first with the ions confined within a three-dimensional well produced by the electrons and next with the electrons confined within a three-dimensional well produced by the ions.
Ordonez
C A
CA
Department of Physics, University of North Texas, Denton, Texas 76203, USA.