Growth rate and frequency dispersion characteristics of drift waves in an r.f. collisional plasma

Abstract

Results are presented for a low frequency self-excited oscillation in an inhomogeneous r.f. collisional plasma. By using a method of dynamic stabilization to reduce the instability to a low level frequency measurements have been made in the linear regime where most linearized theories apply. Also, by analysing the subsequent return of the oscillations to its saturation level, the linear growth rate has been obtained. Comparison of these growth rate and frequency measurements in the linear regime with a previous theory of the drift-dissipative instability shows reasonably good agreement.