Anomalous plasma phenomena of hollow cathode arc discharge

Magnetically confined argon plasma produced by hollow cathode arc discharge has been studied in different experimental conditions, with discharge current from 10–50 A, vessel argon pressure between 10^–3 and 10^–4 torr (1 torr=133·32 Pa) and axial magnetic field up to 0·12 T. The plasma density measured by a cylindrical Langmuir probe is found to be 10¹⁹ to 4 × 10¹⁹ m^–3 and the electron temperatureT _e varies between 2·5 and 4·8 eV. When an external axial magnetic field is applied the plasma temperature decreases with the increase in the magnetic field intensity until it reaches a minimum value at 0·075T and then increases with the same rate. This has been interpreted as high frequency waves excitation due to electron beam-plasma interaction, which explains the electron density jumps with the magnetic field intensity. Enhanced plasma transport across the magnetic field is studied and classified as anomalous diffusion.     

Influence of Plasma Resistance and Fluctuation on Probe Characteristics in Detached Recombining Plasmas

In order to find the causes of the strong anomaly of current‐voltage characteristics of Langmuir probe observed in detached recombining plasmas in a linear divertor plasma simulator, NAGDIS‐II, we have investigated plasma resistance along a magnetic field and potential fluctuations in the detached recombining plasmas. Simple calculation on the ratio between the plasma length, at which plasma resistance and resistance of ion sheath formed around a probe tip become equal, and an electron collection length indicates that the evaluation of electron temperature T_e becomes inaccurate at T_e of less than 0.6 eV when plasma density and neutral pressure are 1.0 × 10¹⁸ m^—3 and 10 mtorr, respectively. The potential fluctuation in detached recombining plasmas was found to be so large compared to T_e/e, which can also modify the probe characteristics.     

Measurements of Flow Velocity in the Plasma Generator PSI‐2

The plasma flow velocity in the Plasma Generator PSI‐2 has been investigated by using of Mach probe. PSI‐2 is a stationary high‐current arc discharge in which the quasi‐neutral plasma expands along the magnetic field lines. The low‐temperature (T_e < 20 eV), medium density (n_e ∼ 10¹⁸— 10¹⁹ m^—3 ) plasma in the discharge is similar to the plasma in the divertor region of tokamaks. From the ratio of ion saturation currents collected from opposite sides of the probe the flow velocities (Mach numbers) in argon and hydrogen discharges are obtained.     

Spectroscopic Measurement of Electron Temperature and Density in an Argon Plasma Jet Based on Collisional‐Radiative Model

The present paper describes a spectroscopic method or determining electron temperature T_e and density N_e in an argon plasma jet on the basis of a Collisional‐Radiative model of argon. Electron temperature and density in the argon plasma were measured by the method developed, and comparison of them was discussed with those obtained with a Langmuir probe. The results or T_e and N_e obtained by the spectroscopic method agreed roughly with those by the probe.     

Electron impact ionization and excitation rate coefficients in the negative glow region of a glow discharge

Some easy to use reasonable approximations for electron impact rate coefficients have been considered. The most important rate coefficients for electron collisions in noble gases are electron-neutral ionization and electron impact excitation. Electron-neutral ionization besides electron impact excitation of some states of the argon and helium atom in direct current (dc) glow discharge plasma has been calculated. The plasma parameters of electron are significant factors for computing the rate coefficients. We present first results of probe diagnostic that includes the double probe measurements of the plasma parameters, namely, electron temperature (T_e) and electron density (n_e). Electron properties obtained from the double probe characteristic curves including T_e and n_e as well as the calculated rate coefficients (ionization and excitation) were studied as a function of the axial distance from the cathode while the discharge operating parameters of voltage and pressure were varied. Two regions of the glow discharge were investigated: cathode fall region and negative glow. Particular emphasis was placed on the negative glow region.     

Double‐probe measurement in recombining plasma using NAGDIS‐II

We have studied the validity of the double‐probe method in recombining plasmas. Electron temperature (T_e) measured with a double probe was quantitatively evaluated by taking into account the influences of plasma potential fluctuation, plasma resistivity, and electron density fluctuation on the current–voltage characteristics. Differential potential fluctuation and plasma resistivity between two electrodes have a minor effect on T_e especially when the inter‐distance is small (typically 1 mm). Scattering of measured T_e due to the density fluctuation was sufficiently suppressed by making the data acquisition time long (typically 4 s) and taking the average. There is a good agreement between T_e measured with the optimized double‐probe method and that with laser Thomson scattering diagnostics.     

Experimental Studies on Low-Pressure Plane-Parallel Hollow Cathode Discharges

Hollow cathode discharge (HCD) is widely used in material processing and plasma emission spectroscopy due to several advantages over other plasma sources. Basically, the HCD consists of a cathode with a hollow structure (cavity, hole, or parallel faces) and an anode of arbitrary shape. In this investigation, experimental studies on low-pressure plane-parallel HCD operated at different process conditions are reported. Herein, we investigate the dependence of the discharge current on the product of the gas pressure and inter-cathode distance (pD). In addition, the electron temperature and density were inferred from the current-voltage characteristics of a single cylindrical Langmuir probe positioned between the cathodes, on the discharge axis. The measurements were carried out at different gas pressures, magnetic field intensities, working gases, inter-cathode distances, cathode materials, and discharge voltages. The results showed that, at different gas pressures, the maximum discharge current (I_d,max) is not only a function of the product pD, but also of the pressure itself. Application of a uniform longitudinal magnetic field improved plasma confinement between cathodes, leading to a substantial increase in I_d,max in most of the situations considered in this study. However, for oxygen discharge, a strong discharge current reduction after the application of the magnetic field was observed. In relation to the Langmuir probe studies, it was observed that the uniform longitudinal magnetic field reduced the electron temperature, but this behavior depends strictly on pD. The typical values of electron density and electron temperature in the case of the nitrogen discharge were n_e?=?10¹⁷ m^?3 and T_e?=?2.5 eV, respectively. Finally, our experiments showed that the pD range for hollow cathode effects was between 0.2–5 Pa m.     

双温度氦等离子体输运性质计算

获得覆盖较宽温度和压力范围内的等离子体输运性质是进行等离子体传热和流动过程数值模拟的必要条件.本文采用Saha方程计算等离子体组分, 采用基于将Chapman-Enskog方法扩展到高阶近似的方法, 计算获得了电子温度(T_e)不等于重粒子温度(T_h)的情形下, 在300 K到40000 K的温度范围内氦等离子体的黏性、热导率和电导率. 研究结果表明压力和热力学非平衡参数(θ =T_e/T_h)对氦等离子体的输运性质有较大的影响. 在局域热力学平衡条件下,计算获得的氦等离子体输运性质和文献报道的数据符合良好.     

Determination of the electron temperature of a degenerate semiconductor in quantizing fields under heating by an electric field

Investigations of the Shubnikov-de Haas oscillation of the transverse magnetoresistance due to the magnitude of the electric field in n-type InSb with 5 · 10¹⁵, 3 · 10¹⁶ cm^–3 concentrations at a 4.2 °K temperature are carried out herein. A method is proposed to determine the electron temperature T_e; dependences of T_e on the electric and magnetic fields in the sample are obtained for a transversely oriented magnetic field. The relaxation time of the electron energy is estimated.Translated from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Fizika, No. 2, pp. 96–100, February, 1972.     

On the Symmetrical Modes in a Cylindrical Nonisothermal Plasma Waveguide in a Finite External Magnetic Field

A MHD, symmetrical, nonpotential waves in nonuniform, cylindrical nonisothermal plasma waveguide placed in a finite external magnetic field H ₀ directed along the axis of the waveguide are considered. The thermal velocity of the electrons ν_Te = (kT_e/m_e)^1/2 (k — Boltzman's constant, T_e — temperature, m_e — mass of the electron) is not neglected. As a consequence we obtain one more solution in the plasma region and respectively an equation of third power on χ² — the transverse wave number. As far as we know only equations of second power on χ² describing non-potential waves are investigated. The dispersion equations are written solving the boundary-value problem. Our results coincide with well known ones when the electron thermal velocity tends to zero.     

Collective Dust‐Dust Attraction in Strong Magnetic Field

It is shown that the collective dust‐dust attraction is enhanced by strong magnetic fields larger then the critical magnetic field determined be the condition that the Lorentz force acting on ions is larger than the friction of ions on dust grains related with the dust drag. It is demonstrated that with an increase of the magnetic field the deepness of the attraction potential well is increased in all directions to the magnetic field, that the distance of the minimum of the potential well along the magnetic filed (in both directions) is changed only slightly while the distance of the minimum of the attraction potential well is substantially decreased for directions perpendicular to the magnetic field. This means that the structures formed by attraction forces such as plasma crystals will be compressed perpendicular to the magnetic field (inter‐dust distance becomes smaller) and that the melting transition temperature should increased with an increase of the strength of the magnetic field. Numerical results are presented for dependence of the attraction potential well on the ratio of the strength of the magnetic field to the critical magnetic field strength, on the parameter P = n_dZ_d/n_i (n_d and n_i being the dust and ion densities respectively) and on the temperature ratio τ = T_i/T_e (T_e and T_i being the electron and ion temperatures respectively). (© 2004 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Entstehung und Eigenschaften des Halo bei Pinch-Plasmen

In pinch discharges a second plasma regime called halo^1,2 outside the central plasma column^1-4 has been observed. This surrounding plasma was investigated in the experiments with the 5.4 m long compression coil in the ISARI linear theta pinch because there it appears highly pronounced. The development of the discharge was observed side-on (stereoscopic) with image converters and a streak camera. It appears possible to resolve the space-time behaviour of the plasma, especially in the dynamic phase of the discharge where the halo shows a filament like structure, by using high-speed color reversal film (streak camera). Furthermore, the smear pictures show that after 6–8 μsec the halo region is frozen into the external magnetic field, that is from this time the halo is characterized by a high electrical conductivity. The boundary layer of the halo follows a magnetic flux tube. The parameters of the halo, such as electron densityn _e (< 10¹⁵ cm^?3), atomic temperatureT _a , and ion temperatureT _i (< 15 eV), were determined spectroscopically as a function of time and location from the broadening of the deuterium Balmer lines. The absolutely measured line intensities do not allow direct calculation of the electron temperature since the excited levels of the investigated Balmer lines are mainly populated from the ground level. By numerical solution of a system of rate equations describing the change of the levels a region for the electron temperature 5<T _e <10eV can be specified. Different mechanisms, such as photoionization, ionization by electron impact in a time varying magnetic field, ionizing collisions of high velocity neutral atoms with neutral gas at rest, transport processes in the plasma across the magnetic field, instabilities which may cause the development of the halo, are discussed by means of the experimental results. It is concluded that the halo region is caused by flute instabilities.     

Plasma parameters in the upgraded Trimyx-M Galathea

Results are presented from measurements of the plasma parameters in the upgraded Trimyx-M Galathea. After the barrier magnetic field and the energy of the injected hydrogen plasma bunch were increased to B _bar ∼ 0.1 T and W ₀ ≈ 200 J, respectively, the following plasma parameters were achieved: the density n ∼ 5 × 10¹³ cm⁻³, the plasma confinement time τ* = 800–900 μs, the elergy of the confined plasma W ₁ ∼ 100 J, the ratio of the plasma pressure to the barrier magnetic pressure β ₀ ∼ 0.2, the electron temperature T _e ∼ 20 eV, and the ion temperature T _i ∼ 2T _e . The maximum time during which the plasma density decreased e-fold, τ _p , was found to be 300 μs at B _bar = 0.1 T, which agrees with the classical transport model.     

HT-7超导托卡马克边界等离子体参量及其涨落的实验研究

利用径向可移动朗缪尔三探针和马赫探针对HT-7超导托卡马克边界等离子体参量及其涨落进行了空时空分辨测量.给出了欧姆放电及其与低杂波电流驱动共同作用下边界等离子体电位φ_p、电子温度T_e和电子密度n_e及其涨落的径向分布.实验表明,在限制器附近,存在一由E_r×B确定的极向旋转速度剪切层.在剪切层内,T_e和n_e分布较陡,且φ_p,T_e和n_e的相对涨落水平下降明显.这说明剪切层对边界区的等离子体涨落具有抑制作用.低杂波驱动使径向电场梯度变陡,从而使剪切程度加深但对剪切层宽度无影响.此外,测量表明等离子体环向速度马赫数M_φ存在径向梯度.环向流的这种径向梯度可能是形成径向电场所需的平均极向流的一种重要驱动源 关键词： 托卡马克 边界涨落 低杂波驱动     

Zur Mikrowellendiagnostik stromstarker Entladungen mit Skineffekt. Teil II: Bestimmung der Plasmaparameter eines angeströmten Stickstoffbogens bei Atmosphärendruck

Microwave diagnostics of an inhomogeneous, dense, cylindrical plasma column may be used to determine the complex impedance and a mean noise temperature in the range of strong skin effect (theory see part I). This case is realized if the specific d.c. impedance E/I falls below a critical value, e.g. 20 Ω/cm for ω = 10¹⁰. It is shown, that for any radial conductivity profile the complex impedance is a function of E/I only. A formula is derived for calculating the noise temperature of the column as a weighted mean value due to the local plasma temperature and conductivity. In the case of strong skin effect this mean value equals the electron temperature of plasma regions near the boundary of the conducting diameter. These results in connection with spectroscopical diagnostics are use to determine some plasma parameters of an arc discharge in a streaming nitrogen atmosphere at 760 Torr. The temperature profil was obtained from the intensity of the 3371 Å molecular band and then the conductivity profile was calculated using an energy balance equation. The results show that even in the 10 A-case the arc plasma is not in thermal equilibrium, the difference T_e—T_g being about 1,500 ºK. This large difference is due to the flow of neutral gas streaming downward the discharge chamber. The length of the discharge (1·3 cm) is not sufficient for the neutral atoms to reach their equilibrium temperature.     

Spectral diagnostics of a unipolar high-frequency discharge excited in nitrogen and argon at pressures from 1 to 12 atm

By methods of spectral diagnostics, the temperature of neutral gas and the electron temperature and density have been determined in the channel of a unipolar high-frequency discharge excited at very high pressures. In nitrogen the h.f. discharge was excited at pressures of 1–5 atm, in argon at pressures of 1–12 atm. In the discharge excited in argon, the electron temperature does not change with increasing pressure and isT _e =(6–7)×10³ °K; the electron density increases with increasing pressure. It can be demonstrated that the electron velocity distribution is given by a Maxwellian distribution function although the plasma of a unipolar high-frequency discharge is non-isothermal (T _e –T _n 5×10³ °K).In conclusion, the author thanks Prof. Dr. V. Truneek for stimulating remarks and his kind interest in this work.     

Kinetische Diagnose des Helium-Niederdruckfunkens

In a short spark discharge (energy release time < 0,5 μs) at pressures between 10 and 100 Torr a pure helium plasma was created and investigated by spectroscopic techniques. The following time dependent plasma parameters could be determined (0,5 ≦ t ≦ 5 μs): pressure p from hydrodynamic considerations, electron density n_e from the line profiles and gas temperature T_g from the Boltzmann population of the higher levels, i ≧. The population densities of the levels 3 and 4 deviated from the Boltzmann-T_g-straight line and thus indicated a strong disturbance of thermal equilibrium. For the determination of the electron temperature T_e an ionization rate equation was formulated, which took into consideration electron impact ionization, three body recombination and radiation recombination. The deviation from thermal equilibrium of the spark plasma was nearly constant in the investigated pressure-time region: the ratio T_g/T_e gave ≈ 0,06; the ration n_e/n_o was about 7 orders of magnitude below the corresponding Saha ratio.     

Effect of neutral pressure on the He plasma flow measurement in a linear device

Axial and azimuthal flow velocities have been measured in a linear plasma device called NAGDIS-II (NAGoya DIvertor Simulator-II), along with plasma density and electron temperature, using a vector Mach probe composed of two Mach probes, one of which is for the axial flow, and the other is for the azimuthal flow. To study the effect of neutral pressure on the deduction of the Mach numbers, the ratio of upstream to downstream currents are measured by changing the neutral pressure for the deduction of flow velocities. Helium plasma was generated with pressure of 2–35 mTorr. Since the ion gyro-radius at the magnetic flux of 300 G is larger than the probe size, an unmagnetized collisionless Mach probe theory was used for the deduction of Mach numbers and their variations. In order to check the range of collisionality, plasma density (n_e = 10¹⁰–10¹¹ cm^?3) and electron temperature (T_e = 2–9 eV) are measured by a single electric probe using a conventional collisionless probe theory. Variations of Mach number, electron temperature and plasma density with collisionless models are to be compared with those using collisional models for different pressures where ionization and ion-neutral collision are included. Mach numbers by the collisionless model are found to be overestimated by 120% for the maximum difference even in weakly collisional plasmas. A clear flow reversal exists in the axial direction with higher pressure plasma, even in the linear machine. Azimuthal flows are also measured simultaneously along with axial flows, yet they seem to be very small in the present cold ion plasma (T_i/T_e << 1).     

Velocity distribution of plasma electrons in the negative H2- and He-glow with superimposed longitudinal magnetic field

The negative glow plasma has been found nearly field free in axial direction. Therefore plasma electrons in the stationary glow can thermalize down to the temperature of the neutral gas, whenever their diffusion—and recombination—lifetime is high enough. Applying Boltzmann's equation to this problem, the conditions of thermalization of plasma electrons are derived as a function of the outer parameters of the plasma: vessel diameter 2R, neutral gas pressurep and longitudinal magnetic fieldB. — If plasma electrons have a too short diffusion—and recombination—lifetime to be in thermal equilibrium with the neutral gas, the electron energy increases. For this case the distribution function of plasma electrons is derived using Boltzmann's equation. Approximating the calculated energy distribution by a Maxwellian distribution function, the electron temperature in the glow is obtained as a function of the parameters:R, p, B. OurT _e -measurements carried out in the H₂- and He-glows of different tube diameters, neutral gas pressures and magnetic fields agree closely with the theoretical results. TheT _e -measurements have been performed with Langmuir probes and by the method of reversal of the radial ambipolar electric field in a longitudinal magnetic field.     

Sondenmessung der Plasmaparameter und deren Fluktuation in Argon-Niederdruck-Schwachstrom-Säulen im transversalen Magnetfeld

This paper reports on measurements of probe noise and double probe characteristics in argon-low-pressure low-current discharges under the influence of a local transversal magnetic field. Above a critical value of magnetic field intensity B_c there are no moving striations but partially correlated fluctuations. The space distribution of probe noise (ion saturation current and floating potential) and the measured values of electron temperature and density are discussed. At B_c a characteristic value of electron temperature T_e,c ≈ 1,4 eV independent of filling pressure has been found. A first opinion on the character of the fluctuations is given.