Wave phenomena in helicon plasma

Employing of the electrodeless, low-pressure inductive discharges (ICPs) is preferable in many applications. A helicon discharge, which is known as most efficient magnetized ICP, operates with excitation of electromagnetic helicon waves (whistlers) obeying the dispersion relation ω ωcekzkc2 / ω2. Helicons are excited by external rf antennas of various designs and propagate into plasma giving rise to various wave phenomena that considerably affect the discharge operation. Some of these phenomena are examined below experimentally and theoretically