Experimental and numerical analysis of the electron injection in a Malmberg-Penning trap

The injection phase in a Malmberg-Penning trap is investigated both experimentally in the ELTRAP [M. Amoretti , Rev. Sci. Instrum. 74, 3991 (2003)] device, and numerically. The resulting plasma density distribution is studied by varying the source parameters, the external magnetic field strength, and the axial position of the external potential barrier. Space charge phenomena dominate the dynamics of the system; formation of hollow plasma columns and three-dimensional structures are observed. The processes are interpreted using a three-dimensional particle-in-cell code which solves the drift-Poisson system. (c) 2007 American Institute of Physics.