Principle and applications of a floating energy analyser

We describe a new type of energy analyser suitable for the use in plasmas having no external potential reference llke ICPs and microwave discharges. It can be used to determine the ion distribution function (IDF) at a negatively biased surface and the high energy tail of the plasma electron distribution function (EDF). The EDF is measured without distortions by ion currents. This analyser was tested in adc glow discharge and its results compared to measurements with Langmuir probes and a analyser with grounded reference. Some preliminary measurements were also performed in a rf parallel plate discharge.