The dynamics of macroparticles in a direct current glow discharge plasma under microgravitation conditions

The dynamics of large-sized (70-180 μm) spherical bronze particles in a direct current glow discharge plasma was studied experimentally under microgravitation conditions. The temperatures, velocities, pair correlation functions, and self-diffusion coefficients of macroparticles were measured at various discharge currents. The charges of dust particles (on the order of 10⁶ e) corresponded to high surface potentials of about 30–40 V. The experimental data were in close agreement with the simulation data on Yukawa systems with weak screening of dust charges. The influence of macroparticles on equilibrium ionization in a dense dust cloud was considered.     

Collisionless Plasma Expansion in the Presence of a Dipole Magnetic Field

The collisionless interaction of an expanding high–energy plasma cloud with a magnetized background plasma in the presence of a dipole magnetic field is examined in the framework of a 2D3V hybrid (kinetic ions and massless fluid electrons) model. The retardation of the plasma cloud and the dynamics of the perturbed electromagnetic fields and the background plasma are studied for high Alfvén–Mach numbers using the particle–in–cellmethod. It is shown that the plasma cloud expands excluding the ambient magnetic field and the background plasma to form a diamagnetic cavity which is accompanied by the generation of a collisionless shock wave. The energy exchange between the plasma cloud and the background plasma is also studied and qualitative agreement with the analytical model suggested previously is obtained (© 2009 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

不同压力下介质阻挡放电等离子体诱导流场演化的实验研究

采用粒子图像测速技术, 获得了不同环境压力下介质阻挡放电等离子体诱导流场启动涡随时间的演化规律和诱导流场分布的变化规律. 实验表明: 不同环境压力下, 诱导流场都会出现启动涡, 压力较高, 启动涡逐渐向右即向植入电极一侧扩散并最终消失, 扩散速度随时间递减, 压力较小, 诱导漩涡不会随放电时间的增大而消失; 环境压力减小, 等离子体诱导流场的启动时间减小, 诱导流场的法向分量增强、横向分量减弱, 诱导流线形状的变化规律是:L→U→V, L 型流线没有诱导漩涡, U 型流线有两个诱导旋涡, 分别分布在U 型凹槽和右侧, V 型流线有一个诱导漩涡, 分布在V 中间. 关键词： 介质阻挡放电 诱导流场 启动涡 演化     

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采用纳秒脉冲电源,在静止空气条件下,开展了不同气压、放电距离和电压条件下的大体积纳秒脉冲放电实验研究.研究表明,当长度固定为200mm时,气压为250Pa时,随着电压的增大,放电区域从圆锥电极附近扩展到整个通道.当电压为12kV时,放电布满整个通道;随气压升高,初始放电电压增大.实验中发现在电压升高到一定程度时纳秒脉冲电离出现不稳定性,表现在气压相对较低时等离子体出现径向波动,气压相对较高时非平衡等离子体放电向电弧放电转变.分析认为,为了实现大体积均匀放电等离子体的产生,阻止放电不稳定性发生,应该采用上升沿时间更短,脉宽更小,电压更高的纳秒脉冲电源.     

Pattern phenomena in an rf discharge dusty plasma system

Various dust patterns are observed in an rf discharge dusty plasma system. According to the dust growth process from small to large in size, the formation of different dust patterns can be divided into two stages: the small-particle stage (or dust cloud stage), and the large-particle stage (or dust crystal stage). The evolution relations between different dust patterns with gas pressure changing are investigated. Dust voids, dust acoustic waves and strong turbulence modes are presented at the small-particle stage. The self-organized dust lattices and dust clusters are investigated at the large-particle stage. The static structure of a dust lattice is characterized by means of the pair correlation function. Dust clusters formed by particles with different numbers and the regular evolution of the clusters with gas pressure are also investigated. The packing sequences of dust clusters are verified through two-dimensional confined molecular dynamics simulations.     

An Innovative Simple Method for Study of the Characteristics of the Trigatron Plasma Switch

A simple Semi‐Analytical method used to fit the experimentally recorded current of the closed switch discharge circuit into the free running under damped LC oscillator model and the arc plasma conductivity, electron density of the plasma and efficiency of the spark gap switch energy transfer have been driven from the model by some simple calculations. The charging voltage, switch pressure and the spark gap has been changed between 6 to 15 kV, 1 to 1.5 bar and 1.4 or 2.8 mm, respectively. The obtained values for plasma conductivity and electron density of plasma are (5‐25)(Ω mm)^–1, (0.5–3.5)·10²⁴m^–3, respectively. The efficiency of the switch is plotted Vs. Pd and E/P which in both cases the peak value has been about 80 present.     

Deposition of ultrahard Ti–Si–N coatings by pulsed high-current reactive magnetron sputtering

We report on the results of investigation of properties of ultrahard Ti–Si–N coatings deposited by pulsed high-current magnetron reactive sputtering (discharge pulse voltage is 300–900 V, discharge pulse current is up to 200 A, pulse duration is 10–100 μs, and pulse repetition rate is 20–2000 Hz). It is shown that for a short sputtering pulse (25 μs) and a high discharge current (160 A), the films exhibit high hardness (66 GPa), wear resistance, better adhesion, and a lower sliding friction coefficient. The reason is an enhancement of ion bombardment of the growing coating due to higher plasma density in the substrate region (10¹³ cm^–3) and a manifold increase in the degree of ionization of the plasma with increasing peak discharge current (mainly due to the material being sputtered).     

用发射光谱法测量氮气直流辉光放电的转动温度

本文报道了氮气气压分别为10和20Pa时，对直流辉光放电的发射光谱进行测量和分析的结果。选择的研究对象为N2放电中形成的N2^ B^2∑u^ →X^2∑g^ 跃迁的Δv=v′-v″=0谱带系中v′=0→v″=0谱带的R支。在阴极背面辉光区、阴极鞘层区、正柱区以及阳极辉光区中分别选择一点进行了转动分辨的发射光谱的测量。利用自己编写的光谱拟合程序，获得了相应的实验条件下N2^ 的转动温度，给出了转动温度随放电电压的变化趋势，其结果可以用直流放电的帕邢定律得到很好的解释。在10和20Pa气压下，放电的阴极鞘层区、正柱区、阳极辉光区中的转动温度都随放电电压呈现出了不同的变化趋势，甚至是完全相反的变化趋势。我们认为这是由于气压不同时，放电状态不同所致：气压为10Pa时的放电是正常辉光放电，而气压为时20Pa的放电为反常辉光放电。     

电极构形对形成大面积放电均匀性影响

 设计并制作了空心阴极、钮扣阴极、针阴极和条形阴极，利用CCD照相，在5cm×5cm口径范围内，分别对四种阴极放电的空间均匀性进行了研究。实验表明，在预电离电压800V，主放电电压3kV和气体气压约30Pa的条件下，利用空心阴极放电，能够获得空间较为均匀的放电等离子体。放电等离子体可以用作普克尔盒电光开关的等离子体电极。     

Study of glow discharge positive column with cloud of disperse particles

The study aims to describe plasma parameters changes induced by clouds of disperse micron size particles. Dust clouds were formed in the positive column of glow discharge in air at pressure 0.1-0.6 torr and current 0.1-3 mA. The simultaneous registration of discharge voltage and dust cloud parameters was carried out. Experimental results were simulated using diffusion model. The dust cloud is shown to smooth the radial electron concentration profile, increase electric field strength and electron temperature and stabilize the discharge. The cloud is demonstrated to be a trap for positive ions without increase of discharge current.     

13.56 MHz/2 MHz柱状感性耦合等离子体参数的对比研究

通过Langmuir双探针和发射光谱诊断方法,对比研究了驱动频率为13.56 MHz和2 MHz柱状感性耦合等离子体中电子密度和电子温度的径向分布规律.结果表明:在高频和低频放电中,输入功率的增加对等离子体参数产生了不同的影响,高频放电中主要提升了电子密度,低频放电中则主要提升了电子温度.固定气压为10 Pa,分别由高频和低频驱动时,电子密度的径向分布均为"凸型".而电子温度的分布差异比较明显,高频驱动时,电子温度在腔室中心较为平坦,在边缘略有上升;低频驱动时,电子温度随径向距离的增加而逐渐下降.为了进一步分析造成这种差异的原因,在相同放电条件下采集了氩等离子体的发射光谱图,利用分支比法计算了亚稳态粒子的数密度,发现电子温度的径向分布始终与亚稳态粒子的径向分布相反.继续升高气压到100 Pa,发现不论高频还是低频放电,电子密度的径向分布均从"凸型"转变为"马鞍形",较低气压时电子密度的均匀性有了一定的提升,但低频的均匀性更好.     

负偏压离子鞘及气体压强影响表面波放电过程的粒子模拟

由于表面电磁波沿着介质-等离子体分界面传播,而很难通过对传统的表面波等离子体(SWP)源施加负偏压实现金属材料溅射,因此限制了SWP源的使用范围.近期,一种基于负偏压离子鞘导波的SWP源克服了这个问题,且其加热机理是表面等离激元(SPP)的局域增强电场激励气体放电产生.但是该SWP源放电过程的影响因素并未研究清晰,导致其最佳放电条件没有获得.本文采用粒子(PIC)和蒙特卡罗碰撞(MCC)相结合的模拟方法,探讨了负偏压离子鞘及气体压强影响SWP电离发展过程的放电机理.模拟结果表明,负偏压和气体压强的大小影响了离子鞘的厚度、SPP的激励和波模的时空转化,从而表现出不同的放电形貌.进一步分析确定,在负偏压200 V左右和气体压强40 Pa附近,该SWP源的放电效果最佳.     

Use of Soft Plasma Ionization Source at Evacuated Air Atmospheres in Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry to Suppress Fragmentation of Volatile Organic Compounds

This study describes a measuring system for mass spectrometry, consisting of a glow discharge ionization source for soft plasma ionization and a time-of-flight mass spectrometer, to detect toxic volatile organic compounds rapidly and easily. It is the most important to determine how the complicated fragmentation of such compounds can be suppressed to occur so as to recognize the mass spectra of the volatile organic compounds as their fingerprints. The novelty of this work is that the optimal discharge condition for the soft plasma ionization–time-of-flight mass spectrometer system could be selected, so that the parent mass peak of analyte molecules could be observed both with high sensitivity and with little or no fragmentation of them. Use of air gas at a pressure of 1000 Pa provided the most favorable result for these criteria, whereas, in a previous report, the soft plasma ionization source operating with argon at a pressure of 346 Pa had yielded additional mass peaks of the fragmented species. The reason for this would be explained by the fact that energetic electrons in the plasma, which principally cause the fragmentation of the volatile organic compounds, have lower number density at higher gas pressures, through de-accelerated collisions with the plasma gas.     

Rotation of a single vortex in dusty plasma

A single vortex is obtained in radio-frequency capacitive discharge in argon gas. The dust subsystem is confined in the horizontal plane with an asymmetrical saw structure placed on the lower electrode. The vortex rotates as a whole along the long side of the saw-teeth. Asymmetry of the saw structure plays an important role in the rotation of the vortex. Nonzero curl of the total force resulting from the local ion flow and the electric field in the plasma sheath could be attributed to the persistent rotation of vortex.     

大气压射流等离子体放电特性及其灭菌效果

 介绍了一种同轴电极的射流等离子体发生装置,可以直接在大气中将生成的氦气辉光放电射流等离子体喷出进行杀菌消毒,无需反应容器和真空系统,并从电压、频率、流速等方面讨论了该同轴等离子体发生器的放电特性。在稳定的放电条件下,利用实验装置进行了大气压下的等离子体灭菌实验,验证了本装置在等离子体灭菌应用上的可行性和易操作性。灭菌结果表明：在最初的2 min内,细菌减小趋势明显,3 min后细菌几乎全部消亡。     

Increase of Kinetic Energy of Dusty Cluster Particles Due to Parametric Instability Caused by Nanosecond Electric Pulses

Experimental investigations of high voltage nanosecond pulses influence on charged dust particles in low pressure rf–plasma were carried out. Application of repetitive pulses leads to the vertical oscillations of the mi‐croparticles. Evolution of the total kinetic energy for the cluster consisting of 14 particles is investigated. Flat clusters exhibit parametric instabilities of horizontal modes. In the initial phase the kinetic energy oscillates around a certain value and its amplitude grows very slowly. At a certain moment during the instability it goes into the exponential growth phase and then saturates under the effect of repetitive pulses. It is possible if the eigenfrequency is the function of height and the dust particle oscillates vertically in the non uniform electric field (© 2011 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

电磁场辐照诱发真空电晕放电模拟试验系统

为研究真空环境下电磁场诱发针-板电晕放电特性,研制了电磁场发生器、真空系统、高压静电源、动态电位测试仪等组成的电磁场辐照诱发真空电晕放电模拟试验系统。该系统可实现真空管内气压为80 Pa的低真空环境,并利用此系统进行在电磁场的作用下的电晕放电试验,初步得到了电磁场辐照诱发电晕放电的阈值电压的变化规律。试验结果表明:当温度、湿度等其他环境因素基本不变,真空管内气压为80 Pa时, 正常放电阈值为-590 V, 利用负极性高压静电放电, 电压取值范围10~20 kV, 产生的电磁脉冲辐射作用于真空管内充电区域,可使放电阈值降低90~180 V。     

Simulation of radio-frequency atmospheric pressure glow discharge in γ mode

The existence of two diffe1：ent discharge modes has been verified in an rf （radio-frequency） atmospheric pressure glow discharge （APGD） by Shi [J. Appl. Phys. 97, 023306 （2005）]. In the first mode, referred to as a mode, the discharge current density is relatively low and the bulk plasma electrons acquire the energy due to the sheath expansion. In the second mode, termed γ mode, the discharge current density is relatively high, the secondary electrons emitted by cathodc under ion bombardment in the cathode sheath region play an important role in sustaining the discharge. In this paper, a one-dimensional self-consistent fluid model for rf APGDs is used to simulate the discharge mechanisms in the mode in helium discharge between two parallel metallic planar electrodes. The results show that as the applied voltage increases, the discharge current becomes greater and the plasma density correspondingly increases, consequentially the discharge transits from the a mode into the γ mode. The high collisionality of the APGD plasma results in significant drop of discharge potential across the sheath region, and the electron Joule heating and the electron collisional energy loss reach their maxima in the region. The validity of the simulation is checked with the available experimental and numerical data.     

Experimental observations of steady anodic vacuum arcs withthermionic cathodes

Stationary plasma discharges have been investigated in a high vacuum ambient (background gas pressure <10^-2 Pa), with an externally heated cathode and a consumable hot evaporating anode. With various anode materials like chromium or copper, and electrode separations between 0.5 and 3 mm, the nonself-sustained discharge operates with DC arc currents in the range of 220 A. The waveform of the arc voltage is strongly influenced by the magnetic field of the cathode heating current, and arc voltages between a minimum of 3 V and a maximum exceeding 100 V have been observed. The voltage-current characteristics (V_CC) and the influence of the electrode separation have been measured separately for the minimum and the maximum of the arc voltages and show a different behavior. The metal plasma expands into the ambient vacuum toward the walls of the vacuum vessel and offers a macroparticle free deposition source of thin films. The arc voltage can be varied by external manipulations of the arc discharge, and the mean ion energy of the expanding metal plasma shows a linear dependence of the mean arc voltage