Probe Diagnostics on the Magnetized Dusty Plasma Experiment (MDPX)

The Magnetized Dusty Plasma Experiment (MDPX) has recently begun operation at Auburn University. The MDPX device uses a superconducting magnet system to study plasmas at high magnetic field strengths of up to 4 Tesla. As a newly operating plasma experiment, it is essential to have careful measurements of the plasma parameters. However, the performance of in-situ plasma diagnostics at high magnetic fields strengths is not well understood. In order to characterize the plasma, initial measurements will be performed using single and triple cylindrical Langmuir probes without a magnetic field. These probes, in addition to a disk shaped probe, will then be used to make plasma measurements with increasing magnetic field strength. Understanding the measurements obtained from these diagnostics will be essential in order to study the charging properties of a plasma as particles are magnetized, as well as the evolution of a dusty plasma containing magnetic particles. This presentation will summarize the probe measurements obtained without magnetic fields and make comparisons with the probe performance at increasing magnetic field strengths. It will be shown that at high magnetic field strengths, the probes are strongly impacted by flux-tube limited collection.