Basic Plasma Diagnostics: Probes and Analyzers

Abstract

What is plasma? Plasma is the fourth state of matter. Plasma are conductive assemblies of charged particles, neutrals and fields that exhibit collective effects. Plasma is profoundly influenced by the electrical interaction of the ions and electrons, and by the presence of magnetic fields. Plasmas are classified by several parameters that include: amount of ionization, plasma density, plasma temperature, and Debye length, among others. Plasmas are the most common form of matter, comprising more than 99% of the visible universe. When gas particles have enough energy they split into nuclei and electrons and become plasma.