Intermittency scenario of transition to chaos in plasma related to the non-concentric multiple double layers

Non-concentric multiple double layers in form of a network of quasi-spherical luminous plasma spots, approximately uniform distributed on the surface of a positively biased electrode immersed in plasma, are reported. They appear through an instability, namely enhancement of the production of positive ions, which develops for a certain critical value of the potential applied on the electrode. The experimental results emphasize that the multiple double layers evolve from stationary to chaotic state by an intermittency route, involving a succession of bifurcations, including even and inverse period doubling one. Regular current oscillations phases are interrupted by chaotic windows, randomly distributed in the signal. At high values of the potential applied on the electrode these chaotic windows become more frequently, the plasma conductor state going to a chaotic one. (authors)