Robust Extraction of Electron Energy Probability Function via Neural Network-Based Smoothing

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Auteur principal: Kim, June Young
Format: Preprint
Publié: 2025
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author Kim, June Young
author_facet Kim, June Young
contents Accurate determination of the electron energy probability function (EEPF) is vital for understanding electron kinetics and energy distributions in plasmas. However, interpreting Langmuir probe current-voltage (I-V) characteristics is often hindered by nonlinear sheath dynamics, plasma instabilities, and diagnostic noise. These factors introduce fluctuations and distortions, making second derivative calculations highly sensitive and error-prone. Traditional smoothing methods, such as the Savitzky-Golay (SG) filter and AC modulation techniques, rely on local data correlations and struggle to differentiate between noise and meaningful plasma behavior. In this study, we present a neural network-based machine learning approach for robust EEPF extraction, specifically designed to address the challenges posed by non-Maxwellian electron energy distributions. A multi-layer perceptron combined with ensemble averaging captures the global structure of the I-V characteristics, enabling adaptive and consistent smoothing without compromising physical fidelity. Compared to conventional SG filtering, the proposed method achieves superior smoothing of the second derivative, resulting in more stable and accurate EEPF reconstruction across the entire electron energy range. This capability confers a strong diagnostic advantage in beam-driven, low-pressure, or other non-equilibrium plasma conditions, where accurate characterization of non-Maxwellian EEPFs is essential.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2503_23643
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Robust Extraction of Electron Energy Probability Function via Neural Network-Based Smoothing
Kim, June Young
Plasma Physics
Accurate determination of the electron energy probability function (EEPF) is vital for understanding electron kinetics and energy distributions in plasmas. However, interpreting Langmuir probe current-voltage (I-V) characteristics is often hindered by nonlinear sheath dynamics, plasma instabilities, and diagnostic noise. These factors introduce fluctuations and distortions, making second derivative calculations highly sensitive and error-prone. Traditional smoothing methods, such as the Savitzky-Golay (SG) filter and AC modulation techniques, rely on local data correlations and struggle to differentiate between noise and meaningful plasma behavior. In this study, we present a neural network-based machine learning approach for robust EEPF extraction, specifically designed to address the challenges posed by non-Maxwellian electron energy distributions. A multi-layer perceptron combined with ensemble averaging captures the global structure of the I-V characteristics, enabling adaptive and consistent smoothing without compromising physical fidelity. Compared to conventional SG filtering, the proposed method achieves superior smoothing of the second derivative, resulting in more stable and accurate EEPF reconstruction across the entire electron energy range. This capability confers a strong diagnostic advantage in beam-driven, low-pressure, or other non-equilibrium plasma conditions, where accurate characterization of non-Maxwellian EEPFs is essential.
title Robust Extraction of Electron Energy Probability Function via Neural Network-Based Smoothing
topic Plasma Physics
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2503.23643