Characteristic study of cold atmospheric argon plasma jets with rod-tube/tube high voltage electrode

Atmospheric argon plasma jets are generated with the rod-tube/tube high voltage electrode and a ring ground electrode at 8 kHz sinusoidal excitation voltage. It is found that the vibrational temperature, electronic excitation temperature, atomic oxygen density and spectral intensity with the rod-tube high voltage electrode are enhanced significantly than that with the tube high voltage electrode. The atomic oxygen density, molecular nitrogen density, and average electronic density are about magnitude of 10¹⁶ cm^?3, 10¹⁵ cm^?3, and 10¹² cm^?3 respectively, and the excited Ar, N₂, OH and O are presented in the plasma plume with the rod-tube/tube high voltage electrode.     

Relaxation times for establishing steady state populations in optically thin helium plasmas

Population densities of HeI and HeII excited states are calculated from a collisional radiative model for non-LTE optically thin helium plasmas. Effect of direct ionisation-excitation of HeI to HeII states on the population density of HeII states is shown. Relaxation times for HeI states calculated from the CR model is reported forT _e from 3 to 18 eV andn _e from 10⁹ to 10¹⁶ cm⁻³. Part of a research project supported by the Department of Atomic Energy.     

Untersuchungen zum Existenzbereich einer BOLTZMANN-Verteilung im Argonbogenplasma

Using as plasma source a wall stabilized argon arc working within a restricted parameter range (inner tube diameter = 7 mm, pressure = 30–120 Torr, current = 5-20 A)) the existence of a Boltzmann equilibrium between spectral energy levels is checked by comparing measured occupation number densities of higher excited levels (N_{m, exp}) with the corresponding number densities calculated under the assumption of Boltzmann equilibrium (N_{m, calc}). The methods for determination of the quantities N_{m, exp'} T_g (2300–5405°K), T_e (7170–9950°K) and N_e (0.33 – 2.4 × 10¹⁵ cm^?3) needed for this comparison are described. It can be shown within the limit of experimental error that a Boltzmann equilibrium exists at least for electron densities of N_e > 3 · 10¹⁴ cm^?3. The problem of energy balance of that type of arcs used in these experiments is discussed.     

Spectroscopic study of plasma during electrolytic oxidation of magnesium- and aluminium-alloy

We present the results of an optical emission spectroscopy study of Plasma during Electrolytic Oxidation (PEO) of magnesium- and aluminum-alloy. Plasma electron number density N_e diagnostics is performed either from the H_β line shape or from the width or shift of non-hydrogenic ion lines of aluminum and magnesium. The line profile analysis of the H_β suggests presence of two PEO processes characterized by relatively low electron number densities N_e≈1.2×10¹⁵ cm^?3 and N_e≈2.3×10¹⁶  cm^?3. Apart from these two low N_e processes, there is the third one related to the ejection of evaporated anode material through micro-discharge channels. This process is characterized by larger electron density N_e=(1.2–1.6)10¹⁷ cm^?3, which is detected from the shape and shift of aluminum and magnesium singly charged ion lines. Two low N_e values detected from the H_β and large N_e measured from the widths and shift of ion lines suggest presence of three types of discharges during PEO with aluminum- and magnesium-alloy anode. On the basis of present and earlier results one can conclude that low N_e processes do not depend upon anode material or electrolyte composition.The electron temperature of 4000 K and 33,000 K are determined from relative intensities of Mg I and O II lines, respectively. The attention is drawn to the possibility of N_e application for T_e evaluation using Saha equation what is of importance for PEO metal plasma characterization. During the course of this study, difficulties in the analysis of spectral line shapes are encountered and the ways to overcome some of the obstacles are demonstrated.     

The influence of superradiant relaxation on associative ionisation yield of laser excited potassium atoms

The influence of superradiant relaxation of excited 7P _1/2 potassium atoms on their associative ionisation yield has been investigated. The excitation was carried out by a laser pulse in a tube containing potassium vapour with concentration 10¹⁴ cm^–3. A seven-fold drop of ionisation yield was found and spontaneous luminescence pulse distortions by superradiance (SR) were measured in the wide interval of excited atoms densities N _e ⁰ 10⁸–10¹³ cm^–3. The values of associative ionisation rate constant and SR threshold atomic densities are obtained, and the shapes and quantum yields of SR pulses are evaluated from the experimental results.     

约化场强对氮-氧混合气放电等离子体演化特性的影响

采用零维等离子体动力学模型,计算了不同约化场强条件下N₂/O₂放电等离子体的演化特性.结果表明,平均电子能量与约化场强有着近似的线性关系,在约化场强为100 Td时,平均电子能量约为2.6 eV、最大电子能量达35 eV;约化场强是影响电子能量函数分布的主要因素.气体放电过程结束后,振动激发态氮分子的粒子数浓度不再变化,电子激发态的氮分子、原子和氧原子的粒子数浓度达到一峰值后开始降低;放电结束后的氧原子通过复合反应生成臭氧.约化场强升高,由于低能电子减少的影响,振动激发态氮分子的粒子数浓度降低,当约化场强由50 Td增加75 Td,100 Td时,粒子数浓度由3.83×10¹¹ cm^-3降至1.98×10¹¹ cm^-3和1.77×10¹¹ cm^-3,其他粒子浓度则相应增大. 关键词： 等离子体 约化场强 粒子演化 数值模拟     

Stepwise ionization in a non-equilibrium,steady-state hydrogen plasma

The paper considers a non-equilibrium, steady-state hydrogen plasma with 10¹⁰ ? N_e, cm^-3 ? 10¹⁷ and 8000 ? T_e, °K ? 64,000. The following two cases are analyzed: (1) the plasma is optically thin for all atomic lines and (2) the plasma is optically thick towards the Lyman lines and optically thin for all other lines. Analytical expressions have been obtained for populations and ionization frequencies of excited levels. Populations of the excited levels obtained from the analytical formulas are in good agreement with numerical calculations.     

High-resolution Fourier spectrometry of 14N2 and 15N2 infrared emission spectrum: Extensive analysis of the W3Δu - B3Πg system

The infrared spectrum of the nitrogen molecule, excited in a microwave discharge, has been recorded in high resolution by Fourier spectrometry in the range 2500–15 000 cm^?1. The precision of the measurements is estimated to be about 0.003 cm^?1. We have analyzed 19 bands of the W³Δ_u-B³Π_g system of ¹⁴N₂, with 0 ≤ v′ ≤ 7, and three bands of ¹⁵N₂ lying between 2500 and 5900 cm^?1. The molecular constants of the ³Δ_u and B³Π_g states have been determined by direct approach using an iterative nonlinear least-squares procedure. It has proved convenient to describe the levels of W³Δ_u state in a case a basis although in fact they approximate those of Hund's case b. Derived values of equilibrium constants of W³Δ_u are, in cm^?1: T_e = 8875.3347 (with origin taken in A, ³Σ_u⁺v = 0 level); ω_e = 1506.4859; ω_eχ_e = 12.5469; B_e = 1.4702537; α_B = 0.0170389; D_e = 0.55958 × 10^?5. RKR potential energy curves for the two states are constructed, and the Franck-Condon factors calculated for the W-B system.     

Many-body effects in the first excited subband of the n-inversion layer of Si

We have calculated the self-energies of electrons in the lowest and first excited sub-bands of Si inversion layers. The self-consistent wavefunctions calculated in the Hartree approximation were used, and dynamic screening was approximated by the Lundqvist-Overhauser model. The correlation energy of an electron in the excited band is quite large: about ?10 meV at an inversion layer density of 10¹¹ cm^?2 to about ?16 meV at 3 × 10¹² cm^?2. The calculated separation between subbands is in very good agreement with available experimental measurements. An exciton is predicted with a binding energy of 0.9 meV at N_inv = 10¹² cm^?2 calculated in the static approximation.     

Measurements of emission coefficient for continuum radiation from shock-heated krypton plasmas

Using a shock tube, the ξ factor of krypton has been determined at λ = 456.1 nm by observations of the continuum radiation and simultaneous interferometric measurements of the electron number density. For the electron-density range used (1×10¹⁶cm^-3?n_e?4×10¹⁶cm^-3), we obtain an increase in the ξ factor for decreasing electron densities. These results are compared with theoretical and other experimental data.     

Correlation effects and the density of states in amorphous silicon

The evaluation of the density of gap states from the charge density measured in field-effect experiments is considered in terms of a model which incorporates electron correlation effects. Due to the positive Hubbard U a density of states is deduced which differs appreciably from the “field effect” densities published previously. Besides the lack of the E_x and E_y peaks the minimum density is found to be ～ 10¹⁵ ? 10¹⁶ cm^?3 eV^?1.     

Anomalous Cs I 5d-5⨍ lineshape in a non-debye plasma

Laser-induced cesium plasmas were diagnosed by emission spectroscopy, yielding electron densities in the range N_e = 10¹⁶?5 × 10¹⁷ cm^-3 and electron temperatures in the range T_e = 0.2-1 eV. The experimental lineshapes for T_e = 0.5 eV were found to be in good agreement with theory. For the more strongly coupled plasmas at N_e = 1-2 × 10¹⁶ cm^-3 and T_e = 0.2 eV, however, the Cs I 5d-5? lineshape was more asymmetric than predicted.     

Die Erzeugung von Seriengrenzkontinua mit Hilfe von Gleitfunken zur Absolutmessung im Vakuum-Ultraviolett

A lithium plasma is produced by discharging a 40 kV, 0,3 μF capacitor through a lithium-hydride-capillary (diameter 2 mm, length 20 mm) in vacuum (p～10^?4 Torr). During the first half-cycle (0,6 μs) Bremsstrahlung of Li III is observed in the visible and infrared, and the Lyman series of Li III together with the recombination continuum in the vacuum UV (100 Å). The high members of the Lyman series are broadened by Stark effect giving an electron density of about 6 · 10¹⁸ cm^?3. In the infrared the radiation is emitted from an optically thick plasma at a time when the free-free continuum in the visible is emitted from an optically thin plasma. Temporal development of electron temperatureT _e and electron density N_e has been measured from the absolute intensity in these spectral regions. Typical values ofT _e=230 000° K andN _e 5 · 10¹⁸ cm^?3 e.g. have been obtained. For these values the relaxation time for an ionisation equilibrium is short compared to the observation time. The complete ionisation of Li III has been checked by absorption measurements near 100 A. Thus the absolute intensity of the recombination continuum could be calculated. An experimental arrangement was built to measure simultaneously the time history of the intensity in the vacuum ultraviolet, in the visible, and infrared spectral regions.     

Submillimeter wave spectrum and molecular constants of N2O

The submillimeter wave spectrum of the N₂O molecule has been investigated within the 375–565 GHz frequency range with a sensitivity better than 10^?8 cm^?1. The measured frequencies include 161 lines with intensities γ ? 10^?6 cm^?1 belonging to 22 spectroscopically different species of the molecule (specifically, the ground and some excited vibrational states of the five most abundant isotopic species of the molecule in natural abundance) with a statisticall and systematic error of the order of magnitude 10^?8. Rotational and two centrifugal stretching constants could be determined for each spectroscopic species. For each isotopic species observed, we have made a general analysis of the spectrum in different vibrational states bearing in mind resonance effects. The total number of the rotational and rovibrational constants obtained exceeds 40.     

Acoustic perturbations in a pulsedRF-plasma

The response of a stationary weakly ionized plasma to a density perturbation in the neutral gas component was studied in a neon plasma with the following typical properties: electron density ¯N _e≈8×10¹² cm^?3, electron temperature on the axis of the vesselT _e0≈3.0 eV; neutral gas densityN _n≈1×10¹⁷cm^?3 and neutral gas temperatureT _n0≈600 °K. A neutral density perturbation, generated 50 cm apart from the plasma, produces a fluctuation in the ion density and a sharp spike in the differential voltage of a floating double probe. The experimental observations demonstrate the propagation of an ion sheath and of an electric field perturbation together with the neutral density perturbation. An interpretation of the plasma response to acoustic wave pulses has been proposed by Ingard and Schulz in a theory on acoustic wave modes in a weakly ionized gas. The experimental results are in good agreement with the theoretical expectations.     

Alternate technique for simultaneous measurement of photoionization cross-section of isotopes by TOF mass spectrometer

New measurements of photoionization cross-sections of the lithium isotopes are reported employing a Time of Flight (TOF) mass spectrometer in conjunction with an atomic beam apparatus. Using a two-step selective photoionization and saturation technique, we have simultaneously measured the photoionization cross-section of the 2p excited state of both the isotopes Li⁶ and Li⁷ as 15±2.5 Mb and 18 ±2.5 Mb where as the corresponding number densities have been determined as N₀≈5.3×10¹⁰ atoms/cm³ and N₀≈6.2×10¹¹ atoms/cm³ respectively.     

Measurement of width and shift of rare gas lines emitted from a stock-tube plasma

In a diaphragm shock-tube, Ar, Kr and Xe plasmas were generated with equilibrium temperatures of 8,000 to 12,000 K. The electron densities were measured with a two-wavelength interferometer and varied from 4×10¹⁶ to 1.4×10¹⁷ cm^-3. Emission profiles of spectral lines were recorded with a polychromator setup in 1 μs intervals using a fast data acquisition system. Width w and shift d turned out to be proportional to electron density N_e for the observed lines. Stark broadening parameters w/N_e and d/N_e are presented for 3 Ar(I), 4 Kr(I) and 5 Xe(I) lines in the visible region of the spectrum.     

Effects of the overlap between wave functions of impurity centers on the activation energy of hopping conduction

The hopping conductivity σ₃ has been studied in samples of slightly counterdoped crystalline Si: B with a boron concentration of 2×10¹⁶ cm^?3<N<10¹⁷ cm^?3 and a compensation of 10^?4≤K≤10^?2. It is found that at K≤10^?3 the activation energy ε₃ is not lower (as it must be according to classical notions at finite K) but larger than the value ε_N=e ² N ^1/3/κ, where e is the electronic charge and κ is the dielectric constant. With decreasing N, the energy ε₃ drops slower and, with decreasing K, grows faster than follows from the standard theory. At K≤10^?4, ε₃ is higher than ε _N by a factor of 1.5–2. The result is explained by the effect of the overlap between wave functions of neighboring impurity centers on the structure of the impurity band.     

Magnetic susceptibility and superconductivity of cubic vanadium nitrides

The superconducting transition temperature T_C and the magnetic susceptibility from 77 to 300°K have been measured on five cubic vanadium nitrides: VN, VN_0.91, VN_0.82, VN_0.84 and VN_0.75. The materials were carefully prepared to exclude oxygen and ferromagnetic impurities.The value of T_C, falls from 8.1°K for VN to 2.3°K for VN_0.75. The mass-susceptibility decreases from +3.94 × 10^?6e.m.u./g for VN to 1.88 × 10^?6e.m.u./g for VN_0.75 at 300°K. All samples showed a small positive slope for the susceptibility temperature curve.The results are discussed in terms of the rigid band model. The main features are a high density of states of d electrons, 2.4 states/atom eV for VN that drops off as the nitrogen content decreases, to 0.8 states/atom eV.Preliminary considerations indicate that many-body effects could reduce this density of states by as much as a factor of 2. Lack of experimental results on Knight shifts and low-temperature specific heats prevent a more quantitative estimate being made.     

Density dependence of electron drift velocities in helium and hydrogen at 77.6 K

Electron drift velocities have been measured in helium and hydrogen at 77.6 K and gas density of 6.6×10²¹ cm^?3 (approximately 80 atm). At these high densities the electron drift velocities do not depend only on the ratio of the electric field to gas density (E/N). At constantE/N the electron drift velocity decreases with increasing gas density. In helium a decrease was found down to 6.4% of the value at low density, in hydrogen down to 0.52%. The results are discussed in terms of theories of multiple scattering. Legler's theory fits our data in the lower density range, but at the highest densities predicts too small an effect. The percolation theory by Eggarter and Cohen gives no agreement with the experiment. Up to the highest densities we did not find bubbles; slow negative charge carriers could be identified as oxygen ions.