Anisotropic electron velocity distribution in an ECR helium plasma as determined from polarization of emission lines

A helium plasma is produced by electron-cyclotron resonance heating in a cusp-configuration magnetic field. Several neutral helium lines are found polarized in the direction perpendicular to the magnetic field; the maximum polarization degree exceeds 10%. The polarization degree and intensity of the emission lines yield, respectively, the alignment and population of the upper levels. The population-alignment collisional-radiative model is developed, and the experimental result is interpreted in terms of an anisotropic electron velocity distribution; it is of a Saturn-type with the central thermal component of 14 eV and the 'ring' component displaced by 9.2 eV from the central component. The relative number of 'ring' electrons is 40%. (letter to the editor)