Active thermoelectric probe for plasma investigation

Plane plasma discharge of relatively low pressure was studied using a novel type of common K-type thermocouple electrostatic probe. This probe, also called "active Langmuir probe", generates a thermoelectric voltage and was used for plasma investigation in metal contacts properties study. A qualitative and quantitative analyses of the active Langmuir probe is presented in this work. Experimental studies have shown that the measured thermoelectric voltage corresponds with temperatures exceeding the melting point of the measuring probe components.