Discharge Operation Mode Manipulation of Radio Frequency Atmospheric Pressure Glow Discharges in Argon

Stable operation of radio frequency atmospheric glow discharges is widely desired by most processing applications for their conveniency and feasibility, many of which have been addressed with the noble gas of helium and low discharge current density in stable operation regime of α mode. Here, the operation mode manipulation of rf atmospheric pressure glow discharge in argon is investigated using a one‐dimensional self‐consistent modeling approach. Stable operation regime of α mode is found to expand with rinsing excitation frequency and reducing discharge gap distance. The sheath characteristics in terms of sheath voltage and sheath thickness are given to explain the of α ‐γ mode transition. Furthermore, stable operation of discharge in γ mode is proposed tobe achieved by introducing dielectric barriers, which is indicated by monotonously growing of applied voltage with discharge current density (© 2012 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

气压对微束射频容性放电模式调制的研究

微束射频容性放电在纳米晶体颗粒等离子体增强气相合成有着潜在的应用前景.本论文利用ICCD、单反相机、高压探头和电流探头等对微束射频容性放电特性进行了实验诊断研究.结果发现:在纯氩气微束射频放电中,随着气压的增加,放电从辉光放电模式向多通道丝状放电模式转换;在99%氩/1%氢混合气体微束射频放电中,丝状放电模式消失,而是从低气压全空间分布的辉光放电模式,到中等气压向轴心收缩的辉光放电模式,最后到高气压的“环状”辉光放电模式;而在纯氢气微束射频放电中,随着气压的增加,放电模式直接从全空间分布的辉光放电模式向“环状”辉光放电模式转换.最后通过射频电场中电子加热、趋肤效应和气体热传导的共同作用解释了产生不同放电模式的物理机制.     

缩比间隙中辉光放电相似性的初步研究

为了研究缩比实验在气体放电中的有效性, 对缩比间隙中的低气压氩气放电进行了数值模拟. 根据气体放电相似性的猜想, 如果间隙气压p和间隙距离d的乘积为常量, 即p₁d₁=p₂d₂, 并且约化电场E/p 在两个间隙中的空间分布相同, 那么这两个放电间隙的放电特性存在相似性. 数值模拟中设置三个缩比间隙: 气隙A的长度为30 mm, 气压为1 Torr (1 Torr=133.322 Pa); 气隙B的长度为15 mm, 气压为2 Torr; 气隙C的长度为10 mm, 气压为3 Torr. 仿真结果表明, 三个间隙均为辉光放电, 并存在明显的阴极位降区. 间隙A, B, C 的阴极位降区的厚度d_C分别为2.71, 1.35和0.87 mm, 相对应的pd值几乎相同, 即pd_C≈2.70 Torr·mm. 这与氩气辉光放电Paschen曲线最低点(pd≈2.86 Torr·mm)相近. 缩比间隙的放电参数的特性(如工作电压、电场、电流密度、电子密度和离子密度的沿“空间”px的分布)的数值计算结果与放电相似性猜想所预计的结果一致. 所以, 可以认为放电相似性猜想适用于低气压氩气缩比间隙的辉光放电. 关键词： 放电相似性 辉光放电 缩比间隙     

大气压辉光放电研究现状及应用前景

大气压辉光放电由于均匀性好、能量效率高并且不需要真空系统，正日益受到人们重视和研究．文章综述了大气压辉光放电的研究进展，包括实验条件、放电特征、放电机理以及最新的诊断方法，还介绍它在薄膜沉积、材料表面改性、污染物质的消毒去污等方面的应用前景．     

针-板和针-水电极大气压直流辉光放电的光谱特性

利用光谱学方法,对针-水电极和针-板电极直流辉光放电特性进行了比较研究。结果发现两种装置产生的放电都有明显的分区现象, 从阴极到阳极分别为负辉区、阴极暗区、正柱区和阳极辉区。针-板电极放电中可以清晰地观测到阳极暗区, 而针-水电极放电阳极暗区不明显。对比两种放电的伏安特性曲线,发现放电电压均随电流增大而减小,但相同电流下针-水电极间的电压大于针-板电极间的电压。由于伏安特性具有负斜率,且放电电流密度介于10-5～10-4 A·cm-2,说明两种装置中的放电均处于正常辉光放电阶段。在正常辉光放电的范围内比较两种放电的发射光谱, 发现发射光谱中都包含N₂的第二正带系(含波长为337.1 nm的谱线)和N+₂的第一负带系(含波长为391.4 nm的谱线),但相对强度不同。利用光谱学方法对放电发射谱的谱线强度比I_391.4／I_337.1和振动温度进行了空间分辨测量,发现相同位置处针-水电极放电的谱线强度比要比针-板电极放电的大,并且相同位置处针-水电极放电的振动温度高。     

Ion flux's pressure dependence in an asymmetric capacitively coupled rf discharge in NF<Subscript>3</Subscript>

Starting from an analytical macroscopic/phenomenological model yielding the self-bias voltage as a function of the absorbed radio-frequency (rf) power of an asymmetric capacitively coupled discharge in NF₃ this paper studies the dependence of the ion flux onto the powered electrode on the gas pressure. An essential feature of the model is the assumption that the ions' drift velocity in the sheath near the powered electrode is proportional to E ^α, where E=−ΔU (U being the self-bias potential), and α is a coefficient depending on the gas pressure and cross section of elastic ion-neutral collisions. The model also considers the role of γ-electrons, stochastic heating as well as the contribution of the active electron current to the global discharge power balance. Numerically solving the model's basic equations one can extract the magnitude of the ion flux (at three different gas pressures) in a technological etching device (Alcatel GIR 220) by using easily measurable quantities, notably the self-bias voltage and absorbed rf power.     

RF generation of the plasma jet channel for the jet PCVD

Breakdown conditions for creation of the hollow cathode discharge in the nozzle passed through the rf powered electrode and creation of the plasma jet channel in PCVD reactor are studied. Pure nitrogen is used for measurements. The creation of jet channel is easier for smaller rf electrodes. The breakdown depends on the pressure and on the gas inflow rate. The plasma potential and the self-bias potential is influenced by the covering of reactor walls and the rf electrode by a dielectric layer.     

Numerical study on the gas heating mechanism in pulse-modulated radio-frequency glow discharge

The gas heating mechanism in the pulse-modulated radio-frequency(rf) discharge at atmospheric pressure was investigated with a one-dimensional two-temperature fluid model. Firstly, the spatiotemporal profiles of the gas temperature(T_g)in both consistent rf discharge and pulse-modulated rf discharge were compared. The results indicated that T_gdecreases considerably with the pulse-modulated power, and the elastic collision mechanism plays a more important role in the gas heating change. Secondly, the influences of the duty cycle on the discharge parameters, especially on the T_g, were studied.It was found that T_gdecreases almost linearly with the reduction of the duty cycle, and there exists one ideal value of the duty cycle, by which both the T_gcan be adjusted and the glow mode can be sustained. Thirdly, the discharge mode changing from α to γ mode in the pulse-modulated rf discharge was investigated, the spatial distributions of T_gin the two modes show different features and the ion Joule heating is more important during the mode transition.     

Numerical Study on Characteristics of Argon Radio-Frequency Glow Discharge with Varying gas Pressure

A one-dimensional fluid simulation on argon rf glow discharge with varying linearly gas pressure from 1 Torr to 100 Tort is performed. The model based on mass conservation equations for electron and ion under diffusion and mobility approximation, and the electron energy conservation equation is solved numerically by finite volume method. The numerical results show that a uniform plasma with high density can be obtained from rf glow discharge with varying gas pressure, and the density of plasma becomes higher as the gas pressure varies from 1 Tort to 100 Tort. It is also shown that in the range of the gas pressure from 1 Tort to 100 Tort with the slower rate of varying gas pressure, higher density of plasma can be obtained.     

间隙绝缘电极辉光放电实验观察

实验研究了 ITER H₂/He 辉光放电壁处理(GDC)系统的电极合理的间隙绝缘参数及标定辉光过程中 沉积在电极头部的热负载。进行了 H₂/He 击穿电压特性试验,在 ITER GDC 预期的壁离子电流密度条件下研究了 H₂/He 辉光放电电压和试验电极上热负荷与压强的关系、试验电极启辉耐受特性、试验电极温度与热负荷的关系 以及在不同区域辉光放电的气压特性。介绍了 H₂/He 放电期间在电极及其附近区域的溅射和沉积的检测结果以及 对间隙绝缘的影响。为 ITER 辉光放电壁处理系统的设计和运行提供参考。      

Analysis of Plasmadynamic Nanosecond-Range Processes in the Formation of Shock Waves from Pulsed Discharges

We have studied the dynamics of the plasma glow of pulsed discharges (sliding surface discharge and combined volume discharge with plasma electrodes) in the nanosecond range (100–12 000 ns) in stationary air and in the flow behind the front of a plane shock wave with Mach numbers 1.7–5.0 in the shock tube channel. The temporal characteristics of the flow, the radiation spectra, and the discharge currents in air are compared in the pressure range 5–150 Torr, a pulsed voltage of 20–30 kV, and a current of about 1 kA. It is shown that the time of current under various conditions does not exceed 400 ns, and the duration of the glow can reach a few microseconds. It is shown that as a result of energy supply near the planar shock wave front, the decay of discontinuities occurs with the formation of shock waves and contact surfaces. The positions of the plasma glow regions are compared with the positions of discontinuity surfaces of numerically calculated gasdynamic parameters in the flow.     

射频电感性耦合等离子体调谐基片自偏压特性

采用调节射频电感性耦合等离子体中基片电极与地之间的外部电路阻抗的方法,控制基片电极的射频自偏压。研究了调谐基片自偏压随外部调谐电容值的变化特征,得到了调谐基片射频自偏压随射频放电功率、气压的变化曲线。在一定放电参数区域内,调谐基片射频自偏压随调谐电容的变化曲线呈现跳变、双稳、迟滞现象。     

Radial distribution of plasma density in the positive column of thehigh-current stationary glow discharge

A model is presented which describes the radial distributions of the plasma density, electric potential, current density, and magnetic field in the positive column of a stationary glow discharge not in contact with the longitudinal walls of the discharge chamber. In this model, the compression of the positive column is provided by the azimuthal magnetic field created by the discharge current. The value of, the discharge current is obtained for the case where charged-particle diffusion is balanced by the actions of the radial electric field and the magnetic pinch effect. The radial distributions of plasma parameters are also calculated for the case of high-current glow discharges where charged-particle diffusion can be ignored     

Optogalvanic detection of negative ions in discharges

With the aid of rf, microwave and dc discharges, an optogalvanic (OG) signal, due to the photodetachment of negative oxygen ions, has been observed. The OG signal intensity in an rf discharge was successfully estimated from the discharge parameters. Thus, the OG technique may be potentially useful as a plasma diagnostic method. Furthermore, the OG signal from negative oxygen ions is found to be strong in the diffusion-controlled positive column, while the OG signal due to the excited levels of atomic oxygen is strong in the cathode fall region. Preliminary results for the observation of the OG signal in discharges of H₂, CO, H₂O₂, and (COCH₃)₂ are also described.     

Emission characteristics of a discharge iodine vapor plasma in the spectral region of the main absorption maximum of DNA molecules

Radiation of glow and capacitive discharges in inert gas-iodine vapor mixtures is studied in the spectral range 150–210 nm, which coincides with the main absorption maximum of the DNA molecules. Iodine atomic spectral lines at 150.7, 161.8, 170.2, 183.0, and 206.2 nm are observed in the spectra. The emission intensity of the iodine spectral lines is optimized by varying the glow discharge current, capacitive discharge frequency, as well as pressure and composition of the gas mixtures. The glow and capacitive discharges are ignited in cylindrical quartz tubes with interelectrode gaps of 10 and 6 cm. Helium and neon are found to be the most effective buffer gases. The optimum partial pressures of the light inert gases and iodine vapor in the glow discharge are within 0.4–0.6 kPa and 100–150 Pa, respectively. In the capacitive discharge in He(Ne)-I₂ mixtures, the optimum partial helium, neon, and iodine vapor pressures are within 0.8–2.0 kPa, 0.5–1.0 kPa, and ≤ 60 Pa, respectively. It is demonstrated that pulsed bactericidal radiation sources with light pulse lengths of 400–500 ns and continuous radiation sources emitting within the spectral range 150–207 nm can be designed on the basis of low-density iodine vapor plasma.     

氮气射频放电与直流放电PIC/MC模拟的比较

建立氮气容性射频等离子体过程的PIC/MC模型,将模拟结果与直流放电进行比较.结果表明:射频等离子体粒子(e,N₂⁺,N⁺)的平均密度较直流放电约大-个量级,在射频电极附近粒子(e,N₂⁺,N⁺)的平均能量比直流放电阴极附近的能量低3倍左右;密度偏低的原子离子N⁺在两电极附近具较高的能量,能量较低的分子离子N₂⁺在放电空间具较高密度,N₂⁺的密度大约是N⁺的6倍;计算的电子能量几率分布与测量结果-致.     

Two types of spherical stratified gas discharge

Results on experimental investigation of a volume low-pressure gas discharge between the walls of a metal chamber and the small anode in the center of the chamber are represented. The discharge current-voltage characteristics in the range of currents corresponding to Townsend and glow discharges are measured. The experiments were carried out in nitrogen, argon, helium, carbon dioxide, and argon-acetone mixture. Hysteresis of current voltage characteristics is observed for some gas media in the link area of Townsend and glow discharges. It is found that the Townsend spherical discharge plasma is always stratified. Contrary to the glow discharge, stratification in this case is observed in all gases and remains for an arbitrary length of time.     

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.