A radio-frequency wave is normally incident upon an inhomogeneous plasma slab. The plasma slab is composed of partially ionized high-temperature air corresponding to the characteristics of the plasma sheath surrounding hypersonic reentry vehicles. The isotropic part of the electron velocity distribution function is Maxwellian because of electron–electron collisions. The electromagnetic wave is intense enough to heat selectively the electron gas, altering the various electron production and loss processes. The high-frequency limit is considered, and expressions are obtained for the electron number density and effective collision frequency as a function of electron temperature. The effective collision frequency takes into account the effects of electron–neutral and electron–ion collisions for momentum transfer. From an energy balance equation, the electron temperature is found to be a function of both the frequency and field strength of the wave. The electron temperature is found also to exhibit an instability that gives rise to a hysteresis effect.
Radio frequency wave interactions with a plasma sheath: The role of wave and plasma sheath impedances