Development of a New High-Frequency B-Dot Probes to Detect Electromagnetic Characteristics of Helicon Wave Antenna in the Near Field

A new radio frequency (RF) diagnostic, combined B-dot probe with an electrostatic probe array, has been installed on the linear experimental advanced device (LEAD) to characterize the RF wave propagation and plasma parameters. It can directly indicate the RF wave–plasma coupling properties and provide the necessary parametric information for experimental studies of wave physics. The probe’s signal acquisition system has been developed, taking the consideration of electromagnetic compatibility to eliminate RF interference to ensure the reliability of the probe data. The measured magnetic field in the antenna near field in LEAD by B-dot probe coincides with the COMSOL simulation, which validates the measurement. Moreover, the reliability of the data from the electrostatic probe was verified by making a comparison with data measured by other independent Langmuir probes.