Static current-voltage characteristics for radio-frequency induction discharge

Summary form only given. The aim of the work was to obtain experimentally such characteristics of Radio-Frequency Induction Discharge (RFID) that can play the role of its current-voltage characteristic (CVC) and to explain the nature of current and voltage jumps arising in a RF coil at excitation of the discharge. Experiments were made in quartz 5.5, 11, 20 cm diam tubes with an outer RF coil at pressures 10-100 mTorr, at frequency 13.56 MHz and discharge power to 500 W. In case of outer coil as analogue of discharge voltage it is convenient to use the value of the RF voltage U/sub R/, induced around the outer perimeter of the discharge tube. The inductive discharge current is closed in the plasma volume therefore it is impossible to measure its value immediately.