Investigation of the magnetic properties of an RF-driven inductively coupled argon plasma

The magnetic permeability of an inductively coupled argon radio-frequency plasma was investigated under the local influence of a magnetizing coil, which additionally served as a probe. During the transition from one steady state to another, the electric current through the measuring transformer, as well as the value of the magnetic permeability of the medium, was shown to change. The latter strongly depended on the primary coil's magnetizing current and on the voltage generated at the ends of the secondary coil until permeability saturation occurred. The magnetic permeability, the magnetic inductance, and the field were estimated as functions of the induced power.