LabView virtual instrument for automatic plasma diagnostic

This article presents a LabView virtual instrument (VI) that automatically measures the I–V plasma probe characteristic and obtains the electron energy distribution function (EEDF) in plasmas. The VI determines several parameters characterizing the plasma using different methods to verify the validity of the results. The program controls some parameters associated with color coded warnings to verify the fidelity of the measured data and their later numerical treatment. The measurement process and data treatment are very fast, about 0.5 s, so that temporal evolutions of the EEDF can be scanned, to analyze the drift of the plasma. Finally, the program is easily portable since it is developed in the LabView environment, so it can be adapted to any platform using common laboratory instruments.