The sheath zone near a plane probe inmersed in an electronegative plasma is analyzed. A theoretical model for the sheath zone was used to derive a new expression for the Bohm criterion. The new expression holds at any negative probe potential. Solving the model equations allows one to obtain a wealth of information including the spatial distribution of various quantities (electric field, potential, and particle densities), the sheath thickness, and the floating potential. ©1995 American Institute of Physics.