Jorge Gaudier, Ryan Meyer
University of Missouri-Columbia
Nuclear Science & Engineering Institute
Advisors: Mark Prelas, Tushar Ghosh.

Abstract
To acquire Plasma parameters in the MU NE IEC Plasma Machine the Single Langmuir Probe, the Double Langmuir Probe and the Emissive Probe were used. Different designs were experimented and the best design for the disk collector was obtained. Placing the probe into the plasma and measuring the current as a function of voltage yields a curve called the probe characteristic of the plasma. The current to the probe from each species is a function of the plasma potential minus the floating potential. From the characteristic we obtain, the ion and electron temperature, the ion and electron density, and the distribution function. Using LabVIEW, a graph of current vs. potential is produced acquiring data through a source meter and calculating plasma parameters. The program develops a display of the acquired data in a digital computer, compute the significant variables, store the data acquired during operation, producing a graph display, instant measurements, printouts, and some math operations using the data collected. Using this information we characterize the device by position helping us understand the behavior of charged particles inside the devise. This knowledge help us estimate results for higher power operations which require an advanced probe being build called the hyperbolic energy analyzer.