Parametric instabilities in helicon-produced plasmas

Yu. M. Aliev and M. Krämer

Citation: Physics of Plasmas (1994-present) 12, 072305 (2005); doi: 10.1063/1.1938972

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 PHYSICS OF PLASMAS 12, 072305 共2005兲

Parametric instabilities in helicon-produced plasmas

Yu. M. Aliev
Lebedev Physical Institute of Russian Academy of Sciences, 119991, Moscow, Russia
M. Krämera兲
Experimentalphysik II, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, D-44780 Bochum, Germany
共Received 30 December 2004; accepted 26 April 2005; published online 23 June 2005兲
Parametric instabilities arising in the pump field of a helicon wave are analyzed for typical
parameters of helicon-produced plasmas. The pump wavenumber parallel to the magnetic field is
assumed to be finite according to recent experimental findings obtained on a high-density helicon
discharge. The parametric decay of the helicon pump wave into ion-sound and Trivelpiece–Gould
waves is investigated. The approach takes into account that the damping rate of the Trivelpiece–
Gould wave is generally much higher than the ion-sound frequency. The theoretical results are in
agreement with the growth rates and thresholds of this instability, as well as the dispersion
properties of the decay waves observed in helicon experiments. Estimates of the level of the decay
parametric turbulence turn out to be sufficiently high to account for the strong absorption observed
in helicon-produced plasmas. © 2005 American Institute of Physics. 关DOI: 10.1063/1.1938972兴

I. INTRODUCTION siderable fraction of rf power can be deposited in the outer

plasma region.9,10
The effective plasma production in helicon sources is For a few years, the role of small-scale fluctuations in
attributed to strong helicon wave absorption, as has already the helicon absorption has been studied in several helicon-
been evidenced in the early helicon experiments of Boswell.1 produced plasmas. A common finding in these investigations
In general, collisional damping cannot account for the strong is the excitation of low-frequency 共lf兲 ion-sound fluctuations
absorption observed because the helicon waves are only by the helicon pump field.11–16 The physical nature of the
weakly damped. Since Chen proposed electron Landau high-frequency 共hf兲 fluctuations in the side-bands of the
damping to explain the high ionization efficiency observed in pump frequency and the type of parametric instability are,
helicon discharges,2 numerous investigations have been car- however, still controversial. In most of these investigations,
ried out related to rf absorption and electron heating pro- it was evidenced that the helicon wave decays ion-sound
cesses relying on the wave-particle resonance. Along with waves and TG waves or lower-hybrid waves. Further proof
damping due to electron-neutral and/or Coulomb collisions, that the fluctuations originate from a parametric instability is
linear electron Landau damping is generally not sufficient to their threshold behavior and temporal evolution, as has been
account for the anomalous helicon wave absorption. In the demonstrated recently.16 Krämer et al.17 also showed that the
last ten years, experimental studies on nonlinear particle- strong damping of the helicon wave is closely connected
resonance mechanisms have also been performed. They are with the excitation of short-scale turbulent fluctuations.
based on measurements of the high-energy part of the elec- Akhiezer et al.18 presented a theoretical study based on
tron energy distribution function 共EEDF兲 using either energy predictions of Ref. 19 in which they treated the energy trans-
analyzers or emission spectroscopy of argon ion lines with fer from the helicon waves to parametrically excited ion
short life times. Significant modulation of energetic electrons sound fluctuations with wavelengths shorter than the electron
with the helicon wave phase thus indicating electron trapping Larmor radius. They showed for realistic parameters of heli-
was observed for plasma densities in the range ne con discharges that the resulting ion-sound turbulence has a
= O共1018 m−3兲 and moderate magnetic fields 关B0 high saturated level and thus gives rise to strong rf absorp-
= O共10 mT兲兴,3–5 whereas, at higher densities and magnetic tion of the helicon waves and to anomalous electron heating.
fields, the EEDF turns out to be close to a Maxwellian.6,7 However, the saturated level of the ion-sound turbulence
Another mechanism causing efficient rf absorption is turns out to be so high that the effective rate of pump wave
coupling from the helicon waves into strongly damped absorption largely exceeds the experimental values.
Trivelpiece–Gould 共TG兲 or lower-hybrid waves due to linear The aim of the present article is to clarify the conditions
mode conversion.8,9 However, for sufficiently high densities, for the occurrence of parametric instabilities excited by heli-
mode conversion is also unlikely to play a role for collision- con waves in the central part of helicon discharges, where
less energy dissipation and heating in the core of the helicon the plasma is sustained by the guided helicon mode. Ac-
plasma. Nevertheless, it affects the antenna coupling to the counting for investigations on the nature of fluctuations in
helicon plasma and can significantly contribute to the total rf these discharges, we first study electrostatic waves propagat-
power launched to helicon discharges deposition, as a con- ing in the helicon regime. We then present the kinetic theory
of the parametric instability that originates in the helicon
a兲
Electronic mail: mk@ep2.rub.de pump field assuming the axial wave length of the pump field

1070-664X/2005/12共7兲/072305/8/$22.50 12, 072305-1 © 2005 American Institute of Physics

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 072305-2 Y. M. Aliev and M. Krämer Phys. Plasmas 12, 072305 共2005兲

to be finite. We thus take into account the experimental find- parallel to the external magnetic field B0, respectively. The
ing that the wavenumber of the helicon pump wave and the function A0共x兲 taking into account the effect of finite electron
excited waves parallel to the magnetic field may have the Larmor radius on the wave dispersion is defined by A0共x兲
same order of magnitude, while the perpendicular helicon = exp共−x兲I0共x兲, where I0共x兲 is the modified Bessel function of
wavenumber is small compared to those of the decay waves. zero order. The function I+共x兲 is a well-known tabulated
Focusing on not too strong magnetic fields 共␻0 Ⰷ ␻LH, ␻0 function,20 which is related to the plasma dispersion function
pump field frequency, ␻LH lower-hybrid frequency兲, we in- Z 共Ref. 21兲 through I+共x兲 = −x / 冑2Z共x / 冑2兲.
vestigate the parametric decay of helicon waves into low- The ion component is considered in the approximation
frequency ion-sound 共IS兲 waves and high-frequency ␻ Ⰷ kVTi , ␯i, where VTi is the ion thermal velocity and ␯i
Trivelpiece–Gould 共TG兲 waves. In accordance with the typi- = ␯in + 共8k2VTi
2
/ 5␻2兲␯ii is the ion collision frequency. The lat-
cal parameters of helicon-produced plasmas, we consider ter contains the collision frequency of ions with atoms, ␯in,
damping rates of the TG waves much higher than the IS and the contribution of the ion viscosity that is proportional
frequency and derive the threshold and the growth rate of the to the ion–ion collision frequency ␯ii = 4冑␲e4ni ln ⌳i /
instability. It is important for the heating of electrons and 3冑miT3/2i 共ln ⌳i depending on Ti, if Ti Ⰶ Te兲. In kinetic theory,
ions how the helicon pump energy splits on the decay waves; the contribution of the nonmagnetized ions to the dielectric
we therefore present Manley–Rowe relations which account permittivity has the form

冋 冑
for the dissipation of the decay waves. For comparison with
the absorption of helicon waves observed in helicon- ␻2pi 2
k2VTi ␲ ␻3
␦␧i共␻,k兲 = − 1 + 3 −i
produced plasmas, we finally present estimates of the effec- ␻2 ␻2 2
2 k3VTi

冉 冊 册
tive absorption length and effective collision frequency in the
presence of parametrically excited plasma fluctuations. ␻2 ␯i
⫻exp − −i , 共3兲
The paper is organized as follows. In Sec. II, we present 2
2k2VTi ␻
the linear kinetic theory of electrostatic waves in magnetized
plasma for the helicon regime. Section III contains the theory where ␻2pi = 4␲e2i ni / mi, ni is the ion density and mi is the ion
of parametric instabilities of helicon plasma. In Sec. IV we mass. For high-density magnetized plasma with ␻2 Ⰶ ␻2pi, Eq.
describe the energy transfer from the helicon wave into para- 共1兲 becomes
metrically excited plasma waves and estimate an effective
collision frequency associated with the resulting absorption.
Section V contains the conclusions.
冋 冑
␻2 1 + i
␲ ␻3
3 3
2 k VTi
exp −冉 ␻2
2 冊 册
2
2k VTi
+i
␯i
␻

II. ELECTROSTATIC WAVES IN HELICON FREQUENCY

1−i
␯e
␻ + i␯e
A0共k⬜
2 2
冉 冊
␳e 兲I+
␻ + i␯e
兩kz兩VTe

冉 冊
RANGE = ␻s2 , 共4兲
␻ + i␯e
1 − A0共k⬜␳e 兲I+
2 2
To find out what types of electrostatic waves can exist in 兩kz兩VTe
the helicon regime, we first analyze the dispersion character-
istics of these waves in magnetized plasma in the framework where ␻s共k兲 = k冑Te / mi共1 + 3Ti / Te兲 = kVs is the IS frequency
of linear theory, i.e., without a pump field. We make use of and Vs is the IS velocity. To analyze Eq. 共4兲 we first consider
the dispersion relation presented in Ref. 20: the propagation of waves with small phase velocity, i.e., 兩␻
+ i␯e兩 Ⰶ 兩kzVTe兩. Taking into account the expansion of the
1 + ␦␧e共␻,k兲 + ␦␧i共␻,k兲 = 0, 共1兲 function I+ for small argument, I+ ⬇ −i冑␲ / 2x , 兩x兩 Ⰶ 1,20 we
where ␦␧e共␻ , k兲 and ␦␧i共␻ , k兲 are the contributions of the obtain from Eq. 共4兲 the ion-sound spectrum
electrons and ions to the longitudinal permittivity of magne-
␻ = ␻s共k兲. 共5兲
tized plasma, respectively. In the helicon frequency range,
␻cl Ⰶ ␻ Ⰶ ␻ce, ␦␧e共␻ , k兲 can be written for a Maxwellian The IS waves propagate inside the range of angles, 兩cos ␪兩
electron energy distribution function in the form Ⰷ 冑me / mi, with the weak damping rate

1 − A0共k⬜ ␳e 兲I+
2 2
冉
␻ + i␯e
兩kz兩VTe
冊 ␥s =
␯i
+ ␻s共k兲 冑 ␲T3e
冉 3 Te
冊
冋 冊册
exp − −

冉
␦␧e共␻,k兲 = . 2 8T3i 2 2Ti
␯e ␻ + i␯e
A0共k⬜ ␳e 兲I+
冑
2 2 2
k2rDe 1−i
␻ + i␯e 兩kz兩VTe ␲me A0共k⬜ ␳e 兲
2 2
+ ␻s共k兲 . 共6兲
共2兲 8mi 兩cos ␪兩

Here, rDe is the Debye radius of the electrons, ␳e = VTe / ␻ce is Note that Eq. 共6兲 does not depend on the electron collision
the Larmor radius of thermal electrons, VTe is the thermal frequency ␯e, irrespective of the ratio between ␯e and ␻s共k兲.
electron velocity, ␻ce,ci are the gyrofrequencies of electrons Moreover, the IS waves are always weakly damped if the
and ions, respectively, ␯e = 4冑2␲e4ne ln ⌳e / 3冑meT3/2
e + ␯en is axial wavelength is shorter than the electron mean free path,
the collision frequency of electrons with singly charged ions i.e., ␩ ⬅ ␯e / 兩kz兩VTe ⬍ 1. The influence of electron collisions
and neutrals, ln ⌳e is the Coulomb logarithm and k⬜ and kz can be analyzed for ␯e Ⰷ ␻ using, instead of the last term in
are the components of the wave vector k perpendicular and Eq. 共6兲, the expression
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 072305-3 Parametric instabilities in helicon-produced plasmas Phys. Plasmas 12, 072305 共2005兲

␥ev = ␻s共k兲
␻s共k兲
2␯e
Re 冋
A0共k⬜ ␳e 兲I+兵关␻s共k兲/␯e + i兴␩其
2 2

1 − A0共k⬜ ␳e 兲I+兵关␻s共k兲/␯e + i兴␩其

2 2 , 册 ␥TG =
␯e 2␻TG
2
2
− ␻LH
␻TG
2
2
␻TG
+ 2 2
k ␳e
冑 ␲ ␻TG
8 kzVTe

␥ev Ⰶ ␻s共k兲. 共7兲 冉

⫻exp −
␻TG2
冊
2kz2VTe
2 . 共13兲
Figure 1 illustrates the contribution of electron collisions,
␥e␯ / ␻s, on the normalized damping rate. Assuming ␻s Note that the dispersion relation 共12兲 describes lower-hybrid
Ⰶ ␻LH 共k⬜ ␳e Ⰶ 1兲 we take A0共k⬜
2 2
␳e 兲 ⬇ 1 in Eq. 共7兲. One can
2 2 waves if the electron-ion mass ratio cannot be neglected.
Nevertheless, we will denote the waves as TG waves hence-
see from Fig. 1 that expression 共6兲 is valid only if the axial
forth.
wavelength is short enough, i.e., ␩ ⬍ 1.
In the short wave limit 共k⬜␳e Ⰷ 1兲, we use the approxi-
We now analyze the wave propagation with large phase
velocity, 兩␻ + i␯e兩 Ⰷ 兩kzVTe兩, and consider the case that electron mation
collisions are rare 共␻ Ⰷ ␯e兲. One can then use the asymptotic 1
A0共x兲 ⬇ xⰇ1 共14兲
expansion of the function I+,20 冑2␲x ,
I+共x兲 ⬇ 1 +
1
x2
−i 冑 ␲
2
x exp −
x2
2
冉 冊
, 共8兲
and get from Eq. 共9兲 that the fast short-scale waves propagate
with the IS frequency

and get from Eq. 共4兲 for the frequency of fast waves ␻ = ␻s共k兲 共15兲

␻s2共k兲 + kz2VTe
2
A0共k⬜ ␳e 兲
2 2 and the damping rate

冑冉 冊 冉 冊
␻2f 共k兲 = 共9兲
1− A0共k⬜ ␳e 兲
2 2
␯e 1 ␲ Te 3/2
3 Te ␯i
␥= + ␻s exp − − + .
2 冑2␲k⬜␳e 8 Ti 2 2Ti 2
and their damping rate
共16兲
␻f
␥f = In this limit, the IS frequency equation 共15兲 largely exceeds

再
1 − A0

冋冑 册
␻LH, since k⬜ ␳e Ⰷ 1. In Sec. III we will, however, analyze the
2 2

⫻ A0
␲ ␻f
8 kzVTe
␻2
冉
exp − 2 f 2 +
2␻3f
冊
␯e共␻s2VTe
2
兲 parametric excitation of long waves 共k⬜␳e Ⰶ 1兲, in particular,
the parametric decay of helicon waves into IS and TG waves.

冊册冎
2kz VTe

+
␻s2
2␻2f
冋 冑
␯in + ␻ f
␲ ␻3f
3
2 k3VTi
exp −冉 ␻2f
2k2VTi2 . 共10兲 III. PARAMETRIC INSTABILITIES IN HELICON
PLASMAS
In the long wave limit 共k⬜␳e Ⰶ 1兲, we take the expansion A. Basic equations of parametric instability
A0共x兲 ⬇ 1 − x, xⰆ1 共11兲 The absorption of the electromagnetic pump field can be
enhanced due to the transformation of electromagnetic 共EM兲
and obtain from Eq. 共9兲 for the frequency of the Trivelpiece– energy into the energy of electrostatic waves. These waves
Gould 共TG兲 wave are absorbed much more efficiently by collisionless Landau

␻TG
2
共k兲 = ␻ce
2
冉
cos2 ␪ +
me
mi
冊 共12兲
absorption. There are two ways to excite longitudinal waves
in plasma, that is, linear transformation of EM waves in non-
uniform plasma and nonlinear transformation due to the ex-
with the damping rate citation of parametric instabilities. In helicon plasmas, the
efficiency of linear transformation proves, however, to be
very low so that it can be neglected. Yet, parametric insta-
bilities excited by an intense electromagnetic pump field
have attracted much attention recently because these insta-
bilities are believed to cause anomalous plasma heating in
helicon experiments.
The theory of parametric instability for magnetized
plasma was first developed for spatially uniform high-
frequency electric pump field E共t兲 共dipole approximation兲.22
Indeed, the dependence of the helicon pump field across the
magnetic field is weak because the parametrically excited
waves have perpendicular wavelengths in the millimeter
range, while the helicon wavelength is typically a few centi-
meters. However, the parallel wavelength of the high-
FIG. 1. Normalized electron damping rate ␥s / ␻s of IS waves as a function
of ␩ = ␯e / 共兩kz兩VTe兲 for ␻s / ␯e = 0.1. The thick line represents ␥e␯ / ␻s as given
frequency electrostatic wave 共for ␻0 Ⰷ ␻LH, a TG wave兲 is
in Eq. 共6兲, and the thin line corresponds to the last term of Eq. 共7兲 ␥s共l.t.兲 expected to be of the same order as the parallel helicon
divided by ␻s. wavelength. Therefore, after presenting the theory of the
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 072305-4 Y. M. Aliev and M. Krämer Phys. Plasmas 12, 072305 共2005兲

parametric instability in dipole approximation 共Sec. III B兲, a 2␻ 0␻ s⌬

we modify this approximation by assuming the pump field to ␥ = − ␥s − i , 共22兲
8共k␳e兲2兵⌬2 − 关␻s + i共␥ + ˜␥兲兴2其
be uniform perpendicular to the magnetic field, but taking
into account its dependence in the parallel direction 共Sec. where ˜␥ ⬅ ␥TG and ␥s are the linear damping rates of the
III C兲. high-frequency wave equation 共13兲 and the ion-sound wave
We assume the pump field to couple to low-frequency equation 共6兲, respectively, and ⌬ = ␻0 − ␻TG共k⬜ , kz兲 is the fre-
modes with ␻ Ⰶ ␻LH Ⰶ ␻0 and high-frequency modes with quency mismatch.
frequencies ␻0 ± ␻. Following Refs. 22 and 23 it can be Let us first consider weakly damped high-frequency
shown that the set of coupled equations is obtained for the modes 共˜␥ Ⰶ ␻s兲. From Eq. 共22兲 we then obtain
harmonics ⌽共n兲 of the radial Fourier expansion ⌽共t , z , k⬜兲
⬁
= 兺n=−⬁ ⌽共n兲 exp关−i共n␻0 + ␻兲t + i共nk0z + kz兲z兴 of the potential a 2⌬ ␻ 0␻ s
␥ = − ␥s − i . 共23兲
⌽共t , z , r⬜兲 = exp共ik⬜r兲⌽共t , z , k⬜兲. The set of equations then 8共k␳e兲2关⌬2 − 共␻s兲2 − 2i␻s共␥ + ˜␥兲兴
reads
The increment Re ␥ has a maximum if ⌬ ⬇ ␻s共kd兲, and the
共0兲 a
␧共␻兲 · ⌽ = 关␦␧e共␻ − ␻0兲 − ␦␧e共␻兲兴⌽共−1兲 pump wave decays into a high-frequency wave and an ion-
2 sound wave. Equation 共23兲 then becomes
a
− 关␦␧e共␻ + ␻0兲 − ␦␧e共␻兲兴⌽共+1兲 , a2
2 共␥ + ␥s兲共␥ + ˜␥兲 = ␻s␻TG . 共24兲
16共kd␳e兲2
a For this decay instability, we obtain the threshold value of
␧共␻ ± ␻0兲 · ⌽共±1兲 = ⫿ 关␦␧e共␻ ± ␻0兲 − ␦␧e共␻兲兴⌽共0兲 ,
2 the pump field if we assume ␥ = 0 so that
共17兲 2
ath,d 16␥s˜␥
2 = . 共25兲
where the mode coupling parameter a Ⰶ 1. In the helicon 共kd␳e兲 ␻ s␻ 0
frequency range, ␻ci Ⰶ ␻ Ⰶ ␻ce, we have
If, in addition, the damping of the high-frequency mode is
vE E0 ⫻ B0
a = k ⬜ · r E, rE = ⬅c 2 共18兲 much stronger than the IS damping 共˜␥ Ⰷ ␥s兲 and the pump
␻0 B 0␻ 0 field is not too far above threshold 共˜␥ / 4␥s Ⰷ a2 / ath,d
2
− 1兲, we
for a linear-polarized pump wave E共t , z兲 = E0 sin共␻0t − k0zz兲 obtain from Eq. 共24兲 the increment
and

a⬇
c
冑k2E2 + k2E2 共19兲
␥= 冉 a2
ath,d
冊
2 − 1 ␥s . 共26兲
␻0B0 x 0y y 0x
2
Far above the threshold, a2 / ath,d Ⰷ ˜␥ / 4␥s Ⰷ 1, the increment
for an elliptically polarized pump wave E共t , z兲 = E0x sin共␻0t of the decay instability is proportional to the amplitude of the
− k0zz兲 + E0y cos共␻0t − k0zz兲 propagating along the external pump field intensity,
magnetic field 共z axis兲. The dispersion relation describing the
兩a兩
parametric excitation of the waves is given by the determi-
␥= 冑˜␥␥s , 共27兲
nant of the system of equations 共17兲, which can be written as ath,d

␧共␻,k兲 = −
a2
冋 1
4 ␧共␻ − ␻0,k⬜,kz − k0z兲
so that ␥ Ⰷ ˜␥ , ␥s.
Let us now study the case of dense plasma for which the

+
1
␧共␻ + ␻0,k⬜,kz + k0z兲
册 damping rate of the high-frequency wave is high 共˜␥
⬎ ␻s , ␥兲. From Eq. 共22兲 we obtain

⫻关1 + ␦␧e共␻,k兲兴␦␧i共␻,k兲. 共20兲 a2⌬␻0␻s共⌬2 + ˜␥2 + 2i␻s˜␥兲

␥ = − ␥s − i . 共28兲
8共k␳e兲2共⌬2 + ˜␥2兲2

The real part of this expression is the growth rate of the

B. Parametric instability in the dipole instability, and the imaginary part gives a correction to the
approximation ion-sound frequency due to the pump field,
The excitation of IS waves with short parallel wave- a2⌬␻0␻s2˜␥
length 共kz Ⰷ k0z兲 can be treated in the dipole approximation. Re ␥ = − ␥s + , 共29兲
We seek the solution of Eq. 共20兲 for the IS frequency range, 4共k␳e兲2共⌬2 + ˜␥2兲2
kVTi Ⰶ ␻ Ⰶ kzVTe, krDe Ⰶ 1, in the form
a 2⌬ ␻ 0␻ s
␻ = ␻s共k兲 + i␥ , 共21兲 Im ␥ = − ␦␻s = − . 共30兲
8共k␳e兲2共⌬2 + ˜␥2兲
where ␥ is the growth rate of the instability. Assuming ␻0
Ⰷ ␻ Ⰷ ␥ we obtain from Eq. 共20兲 The growth rate equation 共29兲 has its maximum if ⌬ = ˜␥ / 冑3:
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 072305-5 Parametric instabilities in helicon-produced plasmas Phys. Plasmas 12, 072305 共2005兲

共Re ␥兲max = ␥s 冉 a2
2 −1 ,
gath,d
冊 g=
4˜␥
3 冑3 ␻ s
. 共31兲 Im ␥ = −
a2␻0␻s˜␥共⌬ − ␻s兲
16共k␳e兲2关共⌬ − ␻s兲2 + ˜␥2兴
. 共38兲

The threshold for this type of instability is easily obtained From Eq. 共37兲 we see that the increment of the decay insta-
from Eq. 共31兲: bility Re ␥ has a maximum if the matching condition, ⌬
= ␻0 − ␻TG共k⬜ , kz − k0z兲 = ␻s共k⬜ , kz兲, is fulfilled:
a2th = gath,d
2
共32兲
冉 冊
.
a2
We see that the threshold equation 共32兲 for strongly damped 共Re ␥兲max = ␥s 2 −1 . 共39兲
hf waves is g times larger than the threshold equation 共25兲 of ath,d
the decay instability for weakly damped hf waves. In this Comparing Eq. 共39兲 and the expression 共31兲 for the incre-
case, the ion-sound frequency correction equation 共30兲 for ment of instability in the dipole approximation, we see that
the maximum increment becomes the decay instability has the fastest growth rate in collision-
冑3␻0 a2 dominated plasmas, ˜␥ Ⰷ ␻s, if the axial wavenumber of IS
␦␻smax = ␻s . 共33兲 waves kz is comparable to the axial wavenumber of the pump
32˜␥ k2␳2e field k0z. Furthermore, it is worth noting that Eq. 共39兲 is
The instability here considered arises when the pump field identical with the increment equation 共26兲 for weakly
intensity is not too strong and, hence, the ion-sound correc- damped hf waves.
tion equation 共33兲 is small compared to the ion sound fre- According to the matching conditions, there are two pos-
quency ␻s共k兲, that is, a2 / k2␳2e ⬍ 32˜␥ / 冑3␻0. sibilities of TG mode propagation, i.e., 共kz − k0z兲 / k = ± 关␻0
It is instructive to consider the potential amplitudes − ␻s共k兲兴 / ␻ce. If the IS waves have a larger parallel wave-
兩⌽共±兲兩 of the excited side-band waves for the various cases. If number than the pump wave, k0z ⬍ kz, the plus sign holds,
the hf mode is strongly damped 共˜␥ ⬎ ␻s兲, we obtain from Eq. and the TG mode propagates in the opposite direction to the
共17兲 for the amplitudes pump and IS waves. In the opposite case, k0z ⬎ kz, the minus

冏 冏
sign is valid, and all waves propagate in the same parallel
a
兩⌽共±兲兩 = ⌽共0兲 direction. The angle of propagation of the IS waves is given
2
2k2rDe ␧共␻ ± ␻0,k兲 by
a␻20 kz k0zVs 关␻0 − ␻s共k兲兴
= 兩⌽共0兲兩 . 共34兲 cos ␪± ⬅ = ± . 共40兲
4k2␳2e 关共⌬ ± ␻ s兲 + ␥ 兴
2 ˜2 k ␻s共k兲 ␻ce
We see that the two side-band amplitudes are nearly equal With the aid of Eq. 共40兲 we can write the expression 共6兲 for
for maximum increment equation 共31兲, where ⌬ ⬇ ˜␥ Ⰷ ␻s. the normalized damping rate of IS waves in the form
However, for the decay instability, we have ⌬ ⬇ ␻s Ⰷ ˜␥, and
only one high-frequency satellite, namely, the lower side-
band of the pump frequency, is excited because 兩⌽共−兲兩
␥s±
␻s共k兲
= 0.5 冋
␯i
␻s共k兲
+ 冑冏 ␲ k0zVTe 关␻0 − ␻s共k兲兴
2 ␻s共k兲
±
␻LH
冏册−1
,

Ⰷ 兩⌽共+兲兩. 共41兲
where we neglected ion Landau damping. In Fig. 2, the ex-
C. Parametric instability for finite axial wavelength of
pression 共41兲 is plotted as a function of the IS frequency for
helicon pump wave
typical parameters of helicon sources, i.e., ␯e = 5.7⫻ 107 s−1,
We now study the excitation of IS waves, when their ␯in = 105 s−1, ␯ii = 4 ⫻ 106 s−1, Te = 3 eV, ␻0 = 85⫻ 106 s−1,
axial wavelength is comparable to that of the pump field, k0z = 0.5 cm−1, Te / Ti = 15, ␯i = 4.3⫻ 105 s−1, Vs = 2.7
kz ⬇ kz0. Three-wave parametric interaction then occurs, and ⫻ 10 cm/ s, B0 = 400 G. One can see from Fig. 2 that the
5

the corresponding dispersion relation following from Eq. damping of the IS waves with kz ⬎ k0z 共⫹ sign兲 is weaker
共20兲 reads
␧共␻,k兲␧共␻ − ␻0,k⬜,kz − kz0兲
a2
=− 关1 + ␦␧e共␻,k兲兴␦␻i共␻,k兲. 共35兲
4
Instead of Eq. 共22兲 we now have
a 2␻ 0␻ s
␥ = − ␥s − i . 共36兲
16共k, ␳e兲2关⌬ − ␻s − i共␥ − ˜␥兲兴
Assuming ␥ Ⰶ ˜␥ we obtain the increment of the decay insta-
bility
a2␻0␻s˜␥
Re ␥ = − ␥s + 共37兲
16共k␳e兲2关共⌬ − ␻s兲2 + ˜␥2兴 FIG. 2. Normalized damping rate ␥s± / ␻s共k兲 as a function of ion sound fre-
quency ␻s. Thin and thick lines correspond to ⫹ sign and ⫺ sign in Eq.
and the correction for the ion-sound frequency 共41兲.
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 072305-6 Y. M. Aliev and M. Krämer Phys. Plasmas 12, 072305 共2005兲

than the damping of IS waves with kz ⬍ k0z 共⫺ sign兲 because, IV. ENERGY TRANSFER FROM HELICON WAVE TO
in the latter case, cos ␪ can be small. DECAY WAVES AND ABSORPTION DUE TO
The damping rate of the TG modes, Eq. 共13兲, contains PARAMETRIC DECAY INSTABILITY
also electron Landau damping 共ELD兲. For the modes consid- A. Manley–Rowe relations
ered here 共k␳e Ⰶ 1兲, ELD can, however, be neglected because
we deduce from the TG dispersion relation k␳e From the Manley–Rowe relations we deduce how the
⬇ kz␳e␻ce / ␻TG = kzVTe / ␻TG Ⰶ 1 and, thus, energy splits on the decay waves. To derive these relations
we take into account the damping of parametrically excited
waves. From Eq. 共17兲 we have
␥TG ␯e
⬇ . 共42兲 兩␧共␻兲兩 · 兩⌽共0兲兩2 = 兩␧共␻ − ␻0兲兩 · 兩⌽共−1兲兩2 . 共47兲
␻TG ␻TG
Inserting ␻ = ␻s + i␥, ␻0 = ␻s + ␻TG the relation 共47兲 can be
␻s,th
min written in the form

冏 冏 冏 冏
The IS frequency ,
for which the threshold has a mini-
mum, can be found from ␥ + ␥S ␥ + ˜␥
WS = WTG , 共48兲
␻S ␻TG

冉 冊
⳵ VEth
⳵␻s VTe
=
4␻0 ⳵ ␥s˜␥
␻ce ⳵␻s ␻s␻TG
冉 冊 1/2
=0 共43兲 where
兩E兩2 ⳵„␻␧共␻兲…
W= 共49兲
4␲ ⳵␻
yielding
is the wave energy density. In the collision-dominated case,

冉冊 1/4 ␥s Ⰶ ␥ Ⰶ ˜␥, we obtain from Eq. 共48兲

␻smin th ⬇
2
冑k0zVTe␯i . 共44兲 WS ˜␥␻S
␲ = . 共50兲
WTG ␥␻TG
We finally calculate the threshold of the normalized
pump field given by the ratio of the electron oscillation ve- We thus see that the ratio Ws / WTG is ˜␥ / ␥ times larger for the
locity and the thermal velocity. From Eq. 共22兲 we obtain collision-dominated case than for the collisionless case when
the common Manley–Rowe relations are valid. In the station-

冑
ary state we take ␥ = 0 in Eq. 共48兲 and obtain, instead of Eq.
VEmin th 4␻0
VTe
=
␻ce
␥s˜␥
␻s␻TG
=
4冑␯e␻0 ␲
␻ce 2
冉冊冉 冊1/8
␯i
k0zVTe
1/4
. 共50兲,
WS ˜␥␻S
共45兲 = , 共51兲
WTG ␥S␻TG
which was already obtained for nonmagnetized plasmas.24
Inserting Eq. 共44兲 into the relation 共40兲, we find the parallel
The relation 共51兲 is in good agreement with results deduced
component of the wave vector of the ion-sound wave at
from the fluctuation spectra measured on a high-density heli-
threshold
con experiment.16 As the powers absorbed by the fluctuations
in the IS and TG ranges are equal to the products of the
␻0 ␻smin th damping rates and the fluctuation energies, respectively, their
kzmin th ⬇ k0z + . 共46兲 ratio is given, according to Eq. 共51兲, by
␻ce Vs
␥ SW S ␻S
= Ⰶ 1. 共52兲
It should be noted that this expression is valid for kzmin th ˜␥WTG ␻TG
⬎ ␯e / VTe if electron collisions can be neglected for the
damping of IS waves 共see Fig. 1兲. Inserting the experimental Therefore, the TG fluctuations contribute predominantly to
parameters given above into relation 共45兲 the threshold of the the dissipation of the helicon pump energy as compared to
pump field strength becomes E0,th = 1.2 V / cm, which is well the ion-sound fluctuations.
below the values observed in helicon discharges so that elec-
trostatic waves can easily be excited by the parametric decay
B. Estimates of helicon absorption
instability.16 From Eq. 共43兲, we then obtain the IS frequency
at the threshold of the decay instability ␻smin th ⬇ 4 ⫻ 106 s−1, There are two types of electric fields in parametrically
and from Eq. 共46兲, kzmin th ⬇ 0.68 cm−1, which is in reasonable unstable helicon plasma leading to electron heating and heli-
agreement with experimental data. We further note that the con energy absorption. First of all, there is Joule heating of
theory presented here is only valid if a = VE␻s共k兲 / Vs␻0 Ⰶ 1. electrons associated with the large-scale electric field of the
With increasing pump field intensity this condition may be helicon wave having a wavelength larger than the mean free
violated, and the theory has to be modified according to path of the electrons 共MFP兲. In addition, collisionless plasma
Refs. 22 and 23. If the ion-sound frequency becomes of the heating can occur due to small-scale turbulent electric fields
order of the increment, the approximation of weakly coupled with wavelengths shorter than the MFP of the electrons. The
normal modes assumed in this section is no longer valid. latter is described by a kinetic equation with a quasilinear
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 072305-7 Parametric instabilities in helicon-produced plasmas Phys. Plasmas 12, 072305 共2005兲

diffusion coefficient defined by the turbulence spectrum. To Ref. 25. For the experimental value ␥ / ␻s ⬇ 0.1,16 we have
estimate the efficiency of turbulent electron heating we con- ␯eff = 5˜␥, which exceeds the electron-ion collision frequency
sider the energy balance. In the stationary state, the paramet- ␯ei = ˜␥ by a factor of 5. Relating the effective collision fre-
ric instability saturates, and the rate of energy transfer from quency to the effective spatial damping decrement of the
the pump wave to the particles via plasma waves, 2␥effW0, is helicon pump wave given in Eq. 共59兲, we achieve reasonable
given by the effective helicon absorption rate ␥eff: W0 agreement with experimental data.17
⬇ 兩B0兩2 / 16␲ is the energy density of helicon wave. This rate
has to equal the rate of energy transfer to plasma waves,
2␥W, where ␥ is the growth rate of the parametric instability
and W is the energy density of plasma waves. We thus have V. CONCLUSIONS
␥eff = ␥W/W0 . 共53兲
In the present paper, we investigated the parametric in-
To describe the efficiency of plasma heating associated with stabilities for realistic conditions of helicon sources. Moti-
the development of the parametric instability it is convenient vated by the various findings obtained on helicon-produced
to introduce the effective collision frequency ␯eff. The effec- plasmas in which turbulent electrostatic fluctuations were ob-
tive absorption rate ␥eff of the pump field can be defined by served, we first studied in detail what types of electrostatic
replacing the electron collision frequency ␯e in the helicon waves exist in the helicon regime, ␻ci Ⰶ ␻0 Ⰶ ␻ce. We fo-
damping decrement by ␯eff yielding cused our interest on the frequency range well above the
lower-hybrid frequency, i.e., ␻0 Ⰷ 共␻ci␻ce兲1/2, as well as on
␯eff k0
␥eff = ␻0 . 共54兲 high-density helicon plasmas 共␻ce Ⰶ ␻ pe兲. For these condi-
␻ce k0z tions, the linear kinetic theory of electrostatic waves in col-
From Eq. 共54兲 we have lisional magnetized plasma was treated. We distinguished
here between 共i兲 fast and slow electrostatic waves corre-
␻ce k0z sponding to phase velocities along the magnetic field larger
␯eff = ␥eff . 共55兲
␻0 k0 or less than the electron thermal velocity 共more precisely,
兩␻ + i␯e兩 Ⰷ 兩kzVTe兩 or 兩␻ + i␯e兩 Ⰶ 兩kzVTe兩兲, and 共ii兲 short and long
In experiment, it is convenient to measure the spatial damp-
waves with respect to the Larmor radius 共k⬜␳e Ⰷ 1 or k⬜␳e
ing of the helicon mode instead of the collision frequency.
Ⰶ 1兲. We found that the ion-sound waves have nearly univer-
The damping in the direction of propagation, i.e., along the
sal character in that they can propagate in the short wave
magnetic field, can be described by the effective spatial
limit with arbitrary phase velocities parallel to the magnetic
damping decrement
field, while long ion-sound waves can propagate only if the
␥eff parallel phase velocities are below the electron thermal ve-
␣eff = Im k0z = . 共56兲 locity. In all these cases, the ion-sound phase velocity is ap-
Vgr
proximately given by the well-known dispersion relation ␻
The group velocity of the helicon mode, = k共Te / mi兲1/2. For parallel phase velocities above the electron

Vgr =
⳵␻0 ␻0
=
⳵k0z k0z
冉 冊
k2
1 + 0z2 ,
k0
共57兲
thermal velocity and in the long wave limit, oblique plasma
waves 共also denoted as Trivelpiece–Gould waves兲 can propa-
gate. We presented approximate dispersion relatios as well as
is obtained from the helicon dispersion relation damping rates, which account for the relevant collisional and
collisionless processes in this regime.
k0zk0c2 For the long-wave limit, k⬜␳e Ⰶ 1, we studied the para-
␻0 = ␻ce , 共58兲
␻2pe metric decay instability that excites low-frequency ion-sound
waves and high-frequency TG waves. It was shown that, in
where k0 = 共k0z
2
兲 is the wavenumber of the helicon
2 1/2
+ k0⬜ the dipole approximation, the threshold of this instability is
mode. With the aid of Eqs. 共54兲 and 共57兲 we get from Eq. rather large due to the high collisionality in high-density
共56兲 helicon discharges. However, it becomes much lower if the
␯eff k0 wavenumber of the pump wave along the magnetic field is
␣eff = . 共59兲 assumed to be finite. In accordance with observations in heli-
␻ce 1 + 共k0z/k0兲2
con discharges, the parallel wavenumbers of the pump and
In the end, we estimate the effective collision frequency decay waves are then comparable, and three-wave parametric
for the decay instability. We assume that the energy density interaction occurs. We presented expressions for the thresh-
of parametrically excited waves W near threshold, W0 old pump field, as well as growth rates of the parametric
⬇ W0,th, roughly becomes W0共˜␥ / ␻s兲. Here ˜␥ / ␻s character- instability, which fit reasonably the experimental findings.
izes the number of secondary decays of TG waves into TG Furthermore, we found that the TG decay waves mainly con-
waves and IS waves inside the resonant region, which is of tribute to the dissipation of the helicon wave energy. Esti-
the order of ˜␥ according to Eq. 共37兲. We then get from Eq. mates of effective collision frequencies describing the
共53兲 ␥eff ⬇ ␥␥
˜ / ␻s and from Eq. 共55兲 ␯eff = ˜␥共␥ / ␻s兲共␻ce / ␻0兲 anomalous helicon wave absorption turn out to be suffi-
⫻共k0z / k0兲. A similar approach to estimate the effective ciently high to account for the strong absorption observed in
damping rate was discussed for nonmagnetized plasmas in helicon-produced plasmas.
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 072305-8 Y. M. Aliev and M. Krämer Phys. Plasmas 12, 072305 共2005兲

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