Cutoff Probe Microwave Sensing for High-Density Plasma Measurement

The patent introduces a cutoff probe as an intermediary measurement device that uses microwave transmission through plasma to indirectly measure plasma parameters. The probe includes a transmit antenna that sends microwaves and a receive antenna that detects transmitted signals, allowing measurement without direct contact with high-density plasma regions where conventional probes fail.

The patent replaces conventional direct-contact mechanical probe measurement methods with electromagnetic wave-based measurement. Instead of using physical sensors that must be inserted into plasma, the system uses microwave radiation to probe plasma characteristics, eliminating the mechanical intrusion problems that cause measurement failures in high-density environments.

The microwave signals act as intermediaries that carry measurement information through the plasma without requiring the probe to remain continuously exposed. The probe can be positioned to transmit signals through the plasma region and retrieve measurements without sustained contact, reducing plasma-induced damage.

The system creates a copy of the plasma interaction through electromagnetic wave transmission. Instead of the probe directly interacting with plasma particles, the microwave signals interact with the plasma and carry information back, allowing measurement without direct material contact that would cause degradation.