Double layer created by electron cyclotron resonance heating in an inhomogeneously magnetized plasma with high-speed ion flow

A potential jump, i.e., an electric double layer (DL) is formed near an electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) point when an electron cyclotron wave is injected into an inhomogeneously magnetized plasma with high-speed ion flow. A charge separation is caused by an electron reflection due to -μ∇ Bz force enhanced by ECR heating and ion inertia. It is clearly demonstrated in the experiment that the potential height of the DL is almost proportional to the field-aligned ion flow energy; the DL is found to be self-consistently formed for maintaining charge neutrality by reflecting a part of the flowing ions.