Low-frequency sheath instability in a non-Maxwellian plasma with energetic ions

Spontaneous low-frequency oscillations have been observed in the circuit of a positively biased electrode when the ambient nonuniform plasma is irradiated by a microwave pulse of short duration, which is approximately equal to the ion-plasma period. The instability with its characteristic frequency below the ion-plasma frequency is driven by an accelerated ion component interacting with the sheath of the electrode. A qualitative model of the instability is suggested.