Applying a dc or a pulsed voltage on the end plate in a magnetized plasma, self-excited bistable transitions and back ones in the plasma density and potential had been investigated. During a transition, the bias current and plasma parameters near the electrode changed with a fast time scale of less than a few tens of microseconds, while the bulk plasma transition time ranged from a few hundreds of microseconds to a few milliseconds. The probability distribution function (PDF), staying time probability and its PDF in one of two states of ion saturation current showed the hysteresis characteristics by increasing and decreasing the bias voltage. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.