The mechanism for formation of a steep structure in the radial electric field is a key issue in plasma confinement. Properties of the radial electric field bifurcation are studied taking into account the effect of electrode biasing. The radial electric field structure is determined by the charge conservation equation. From the nonlinear mechanism associated with local current due to ion bulk viscosity, a transition can take place. Various types of radial electric field structures with multiple peaks are allowed for the same boundary condition. The ion orbit loss term breaks the symmetry of the radial current similarly to the ambipolar radial electric field. A radial current driven by the electrode plays the role of a control parameter in a transition similarly to the pressure gradient. A phase diagram is given in the spontaneous drive vs external drive space. Differences in the radial shape of solitary electric field structures are demonstrated in the presence of spatial varying components. This study clarifies the mechanisms of nonlinear structure formation in transport barriers.
Collisional drift instability in a variable radial electric field