Ion sheath formation in radiofrequency inductive discharges

A new mechanism is proposed which accounts for the formation of a positively charged ion sheath in RF inductive discharges, and which allows the quantitative prediction of the existence of high plasma- to-wall potential in such discharges. In this paper we consider electron oscillations in crossed magnetic and magnetic-field- induced electric fields for both collisionless and collisional plasmas, under conditions relevant to plasma processing and gas discharge lamp applications.