This paper analyzes the results of accurate measurements of the ion current collected by a cylindrical Langmuir probe immersed in cold argon, neon, and helium plasmas. These measurements make it possible to study the influence of the positive ion‐to‐electron temperature ratio β = T₊/T_e on the collected ion current, providing valuable information about the trajectory described by the positive ions when falling toward the probe. Several criteria have been applied to discriminate whether the ion current is described by using the orbital motion limited theory or the radial motion theory. In all the studied argon and neon plasma discharge conditions, the criteria indicate that the positive ion current collected by the probe is appropriately described by the radial motion theory; however, as β increases, some criteria indicate a trend toward the orbital theory. In contrast, for the studied helium plasmas discharge conditions, a transition from radial to orbital motion has been measured.

中文翻译：

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精确测量圆柱形Langmuir探针在冷等离子体中收集的离子饱和电流

本文分析了将圆柱型Langmuir探针浸入冷氩，氖和氦等离子体中收集的离子电流的准确测量结果。这些测量使得研究正离子与电子温度比β  =  T ₊ / T _e的影响成为可能。在收集到的离子电流上，可以提供有关正离子落向探头时所描述的轨迹的有价值的信息。已经应用了几个标准来区分是通过使用轨道运动限制理论还是径向运动理论来描述离子电流。在所有研究的氩气和氖气等离子体放电条件下，该标准表明，通过径向运动理论可以恰当地描述探针收集到的正离子电流。然而，随着β的增加，一些标准表明了向轨道理论的趋势。相反，对于研究的氦等离子体放电条件，已经测量了从径向运动到轨道运动的过渡。