Processing the probe current-voltage characteristics with consideration for the electron drain to the probe

It is shown that in conducting probe measurements in He discharge plasma, the drain parameter can be assumed energy independent and equal to $\delta=\delta (kT_e)$ to a good accuracy. When the measurements are carried out in discharge plasma in Ramsauer gases Ar, Kr and Xe, the neglect of the drain parameter energy dependence leads to an error of about 50-70% in the determination of both the mean energy of electrons and their concentration.