The reliability of measurements on electron energy distribution function in silane rf glow discharges

Electron energy distribution function (EEDF) is a key parameter of plasmas, which is directly proportional to the second derivative of the probe I-V characteristics. Because of an amplifying effect of unavoidable noises in the experimental probe I-V curves during the derivation process, the experimental I-V curves should be smoothed before performing the numerical derivation. This paper investigates the effect of adjustable factors used in the smoothing process on the deduced second derivative of the I-V curves, and an optimum group of the adjustable factors is selected to make the rms deviation of the smoothed I-V curves from the measured curves less than 1%. A simple differentiation circuit is designed and used to measure the EEDF parameter straightforwardly. It is the first time, so far as we know, to measure the EEDF parameters simultaneously by means of both numerical and circuit derivative methods under the same discharge conditions and on the same discharge equipment. The deviation between two groups of mean electron energy E and electron density n_e obtained by the above different methods is within about 7%. This apparently improves the reliability of the measurements of the EEDF parameters.     

A contribution to the assessment of the influence of collisions on the measurements with Langmuir probes in the thick sheath working regime

In the present work we investigate theoretically and experimentally the influence of elastic collisions in a probe sheath on a cylindrical Langmuir probe. The analysed probe working regime covers conditions under which the following probe characteristic parameters are comparable: the probe radius, the Debye length and both the ion and electron mean free paths.The preliminary investigations under almost collisionless conditions show good agreement between theoretical and experimental values of the ion saturation currents and of the floating potentials only when the ion currents for the studied working regime of the cylindrical Langmuir probe are calculated according to the theory of Chen (Plasma Phys.7 (1965)47). These collisionless currents form the basis for the calculation of the collision-corrected probe characteristics according to the presented procedure by Talbot and Chou (Rarefied Gas Dynamics, Academic Press, New York, 1966, p. 1723).The applied theoretical analysis covers the influence of the collisions on the electron and ion current of the single probe characteristic and on the estimation of the space potential. The results of the calculations are presented in graphical overviews for the series of cases of practical importance. The other working regimes can be covered using the calculating procedure presented.For comparison of the calculated collision-corrected characteristics with those from an experiment we used the positive column plasma of the He glow discharge where the electron density is known and the space potential can be experimentally estimated from the lowest excitation potential of He. The comparison was carried out for the ion and electron currents, the floating potential and the zero-cross of the probe characteristic second derivative.The estimation of the secondary electron current contribution to the total probe current shows that it limits the applicability of the collision-corrected probe characteristic to the plasma diagnostic in the transition to the collision-determined working regime.     

Langmuir单探针诊断射频辉光放电等离子体及其数据处理

Langmuir探针是诊断等离子体参数的重要手段.报道了在氩气射顿(13.56MHz)辉光放电等离子体中使用调谐单探针进行诊断,对探针I-V特性曲线的统计噪声进行了数字滤波的光滑化处理,而后求二次微商.在相同的放电条件下,使用自行设计的微分电路,对探针特性二次微商进行在线测量.这两种方法得到的二次微商结果能够较好地符合. 关键词： Langmuir探针 二次微商 数值滤波 微分电路     

碰撞等离子体中电中性条件对单探针测量的约束

在碰撞等离子体中使用单探针测量系统测得的伏安特性曲线会发生畸变. 实验中分别测量了非碰撞条件下(20 Pa)和碰撞条件下(400 Pa)氩气(Ar)电感耦合等离子体的单探针伏安特性曲线, 并进一步通过在400 Pa下测量不同位置处的单探针伏安特性曲线和引入干扰电极调节整体电中性约束的程度的方法来分析研究曲线的畸变现象. 结果表明碰撞等离子体中整体电中性约束条件会对非碰撞探针测量系统进行约束, 并通过理论分析和实验证明:在单探针测量过程中, 以真空室壁为电位参考点, 等离子体将通过改变自身等离子体电位来满足整体电中性的要求, 此时, 单探针测得的伏安特性曲线就不是理论上的单探针的鞘层伏安特性.     

Floating Potentials in the Vicinity of Biased Flush‐Mounted Probes

An array of surface‐mounted probe triplets in the Alcator C‐Mod divertor region [1, 2] demonstrates the influence of a biased probe tip on local plasma potential. For the experiments described here, each poloidally aligned triplet contains one probe which measures the local I—V characteristic with a bias sweep and two passive probes which sample the floating potential. The floating potential at the two passive tips varies as a function of the bias at the swept tip. This dependence is shown to vary according to the local plasma parameters. Variations in both the amplitude and width of the floating potential disturbance on electron temperature and density are resolved and compared with different mechanisms of cross field current transport.     

高光谱信息的农林植被种类区分

为了能够更加快速、准确对粮食主产区的作物与树木进行种类区分,以黄淮海地区三种主要植被(玉米、小麦和杨树)为研究对象,获取该三种植被原始反射率光谱,并对原始光谱进行特征点提取、一阶微分变换、二阶微分变换以及植被指数计算四种方法的分析处理,提取三种植被各自的光谱特征点、特征波段、蓝黄红边微分值和、位置、振幅以及面积四个特征指标以及植被指数的数值区间。基于特征值在不同植被种类间数值重叠范围越小区分精度越高的原理,比较分析植被光谱在不同处理方法下的植被区分精度,并且最终选取重叠范围最小的特征指标作为区分不同植被的识别指标。结果显示：相较于原始光谱特征点提取、二阶微分变换以及植被指数计算,一阶微分变换对于玉米、小麦和杨树的识别分类具有较高的精度,其中黄边振幅、黄边面积以及黄边微分值和具有较高的识别精度,黄边振幅的识别精度达到97.5%,黄边面积以及黄边微分值识别精度达98.1%,用另外167组数据对该结果进行验证,显示黄边振幅的识别精度达96.4%,黄边面积以及黄边微分值和的识别精度达97.6%。该结果与用平均光谱曲线区分单种植被不同生长状态选取的特征值结果不同,这种方法能有效的保留个体光谱反射曲线的差异,从结果可见通过一阶微分变换提取黄边参数的方法能有效的用于树木和粮食作物共同种植区域的植被区分, 并且黄边面积以及黄边微分值和的识别精度最高。     

The Influence of the Fluctuation Amplitude on the Probe Characteristic

The time-averaged probe current is calculated by using a sampling method for sinusoidal and sawtooth-like oscillations of the space potential. The effect of oscillations on the measured plasma parameters obtained with the aid of the single probe method, double probe method and the method of the second derivative of the probe characteristic is discussed, with the electron saturation current being taken into account. In the ion current the values r_p/λ_D, λ/r_p and M_i characterizing the working regime are varied. The calculated results are checked by corresponding measurements in a beam generated plasma.     

Measurement of electron distribution function by means of direct differentiation of probe characteristic

Conclusion Using the above described method we measured the electron distribution function in homogeneous positive column of a low-pressure discharge for different repetition frequencies and different time intervals of recording the probe characteristic. An example of the second derivative of the probe charecteristic measured at a repetition frequency of 1 kHz is shown in Fig. 3. The probe characteristic was recorded in 10 us intervals, i.e. 0.01 period.The method can be easily applied for measurements in a steady state as well as in a periodically changing discharge. Substantial advantage of this method lies in the possibility to measure the electron distribution function and its changes during short time intervals (of the order of several us), which enables to apply the method for measurements in unstable and extinguishing plasmas.Works on improving this method even further are presently under way; they are focussed in the first place on using this method for the measurements of the electron distribution function in an extinguishing plasma, where the maximum of electron distribution function lies at energies of the order of 0.1 eV. The method of superimposing a small harmonic signal on the probe bias is virtually impracticable for such low energies, because this method gives accurate results only for the probe voltages that are much higher than the amplitude of superimposed signal.The procedure for testing the correct operation of the apparatus and its accuracy in determining the second derivative, as described above, is applicable also for other methods used in differentiating the probe characteristic, where only indirect methods were used so far.     

射频辉光放电等离子体的电探针诊断及数据处理

Langmuir探针是等离子体诊断的一个重要方法.对探针I-V曲线进行求解二次微商是获得等离子体中的电子能量分布函数的关键.由Fourier变换导出一个求解微商的数值解方法.克服了现有方法所存在的缺点.实现了对探针I-V曲线求解二次微商的精确、自动运算.测量了硅烷射频辉光放电等离子体的平均电子能量(温度)和浓度随放电功率的变化. 关键词：     

动作电位编码光学二次谐波快速检测神经纤维膜电位动力学

神经纤维膜电位动力学特性与神经信息的传导和编码密切关联。目前,传统电生理测量方法无法同时对膜上多个部位的动作电位进行快速检测。利用非线性光学二次谐波方法,通过数学建模,研究了髓鞘神经纤维动作电位编码的二次谐波信号特征及其检测灵敏性,并将其用于分析由压力引起的神经纤维形态改变,包括轴突直径和髓鞘厚度的改变,实现神经传导信息变化的快速检测。发现神经纤维膜电位的变化可以通过光学二次谐波信号的特征来表征。当神经纤维严重脱鞘时,其上的动作电位会产生明显的传输阻滞。结果表明光学二次谐波技术有望成为神经纤维损伤状态快速检测的一种有力手段。     

Langmuir Probe Characterization of a RF Discharge Excited in Ar/C2F3Cl Mixtures during Plasma Deposition Processes

The apparatus for measurements of probe characteristic and its second derivative during plasma assisted thin film deposition is described. To avoid the probe surface contamination an impulse method combined with ion bombardment of the probe surface was used. Experimental evidence of the effectiveness of this method in the discharge fed with Ar/C₂F₃Cl mixtures is given. Measurements of the second derivative of the probe current have indicated an electron distribution different from the Maxwellian. Negative ions have been found in the discharge, the concentration of which has been estimated to be at most by one order of magnitude higher than the electron density.     

求解流动和传热问题的一种新的全隐算法-CLEAR(下)

本文上篇阐述了CLEAR算法的推导过程和计算步骤,本文下篇通过五个二维不可压缩流动和传热的算例,对CLEAR算法和SIMPLER算法进行了比较,比较的内容为,在相同的收敛条件下, CLEAR算法和SIMPLER算法收敛所需的迭代次数的比值和对应的CPU时间的比值,以及这两个比值和时步倍率的关系,从而进一步研究了CLEAR算法的健壮性。计算结果表明,CLEAR算法可以在很大程度上加速迭代收敛,就所比较的算例而言,其可以节省迭代次数31％-85％,节省CPU时间17％-78％,而且该算法的健壮性可以通过引入第二松弛因子而得以提高。     

Linear chain antiferromagnetism in FeOHSO4

Magnetic susceptibility measurements on Fe OH SO₄ suggest linear chain antiferromagnetism up to at least 200°K with a transition to three dimensional antiferromagnetism at 56°K. Mössbauer spectra show magnetic hyperfine splitting up to ～ 90°K and this is interpreted in terms of intrachain spin correlation with relaxation effects caused by interchain spin relaxation. The 4·2°K spectrum is strongly asymmetric because of the admixture of nuclear eigenfunctions by non-parallel magnetic and quadrupolar principal axes systems. Using this the first complete derivation of a complete set of hyperfine interaction parameters from a Mössbauer spectrum is made and correlated with the crystallographic structure.     

Near-field scanning in the time domain on a spherical surface--a formulation using the free-space Green's function.

Two formulations for determining the characteristics of an unknown source of acoustic waves using the measurement of its field at its near zone are presented. The measurement in both cases is to be performed on a spherical scan surface which encapsulates the source. The first is for an ideal probe which measures the field at its location. The knowledge of the field is sufficient; its normal derivative is not required. In the second formulation a realistic probe is considered. This time it is required only that the probe has an axially symmetric receiving characteristic. With this formulation, the time functions which characterize the source are found using only the signal at the output of the probe. Both formulations are such that they are not specific to the scan surface radius. Furthermore, they are entirely in the time domain, requiring no inverse Fourier transformations left to be performed.     

Probe measurements in an rf plasma reactor with planar electrodes

The influence of the rf-plasma potential oscillations in the planar system with a small ratio of the area of the powered electrode to the area of the grounded surfaces has been investigated. Although no effect of the blocking rf filters in the probe circuit on the probe measurements has been found, the ac connection of an auxiliary electrode having a large surface to the measuring probe have caused a considerable shift of the probe characteristic. The rf-plasma potential oscillations can, therefore, distort the probe measurements and their influence must be taken into account. A new method is proposed that allows to estimate the error caused by these oscillations.     

Self-Oscillating Mode of a Probe with Increased Secondary Emission for Nonequilibrium Plasma Diagnostics

A method of ion saturation current measurement in a nonequilibrium plasma by a self-oscillating voltage sweep on the probe is described. The generation of voltage pulses is possible if a high secondary electron emission from the probe surface is ensured, significantly exceeding unity at a moderate negative potential. The theoretical basis of the self-oscillating probe method has been considered, which made it possible to describe the ways for controlling the repetition rate and pulse amplitude and the effect of plasma parameters on the shape of current and voltage signals. It is shown that the features of the phase trajectory of the signal from the probe on the (U, I) plane allow one to determine the reference points of instantaneous probe characteristic, in particular, the ion saturation current. The results of experiments on testing the self-oscillating probe technique, which were carried out using the PR-2 plasma-beam facility, are presented.     

Local spin polarization at surfaces probed by hollow atoms

The relaxation of hollow atoms produced by slow multiply charged ions impinging on surfaces produces characteristic Auger electron spectra. These spectra, which serve as fingerprints of the interaction, can be used to probe local spin ordering at surfaces by relating changes in the intensities of different spin states to local spin polarization at the surface. The area from which the electrons are captured is of the order of a few Angstrom(2), only. The potential of the method is illustrated by He(2+) and N(6+) ions interacting with a ferromagnetic Ni(110) crystal. From the Auger spectra we determine a spin polarization of approximately 90% at room temperature.     

Theoretical study of the diffusion of lithium in crystalline and amorphous silicon

The effect of the lattice deformation on potential barriers for the motion of a lithium atom in crystalline silicon has been studied through ab initio density functional calculations. A new universal method of calculating the diffusion coefficient of an admixture in amorphous solid media through the activation mechanism has been proposed on the basis of these data. The method is based on the calculation of the statistical distribution of potential barriers for the motion of an admixture atom between minima depending on the position of neighboring atoms. First, the amorphous structure, which is generated by annealing from the crystalline structure with vacancies, has been simulated. Then, the statistical distribution of the potential barriers in the amorphous structure for various local environments of the admixture atoms has been calculated by means of linear regression with the parameters determined for barriers in crystalline silicon subjected to different deformations. The diffusion coefficient of the admixture has been calculated from this distribution by using the Arrhenius formula. This method has been tested by the example of crystalline and amorphous silicon with admixture of lithium atoms. The method demonstrates that the diffusion of lithium in amorphous silicon is much faster than that in crystalline silicon; this relation is confirmed experimentally.     

Is the Collecting Surface of a Flat One-Sided Probe Constant when Measuring the Ion Distribution Function?

The correctness of the known plane single-ended probe method for measuring the anisotropic ion distribution functions in a gas-discharge plasma has been considered. Analysis has been performed for positive probe potentials relative to the plasma with magnitudes on the order of the mean ion energy, which as a rule is much lower than the mean electron energy. We have analyzed the dependence of the collection surface area of a plane probe on its potential in this range. The structure of the near-probe layer has been determined for an isotropic electron distribution function of the Maxwellian or Druvestein type and an anisotropic ion distribution function. These results are used to derive analytic relations for the correction to the second derivative of the probe current with respect to the plane probe potential. It has been shown that, when the ion distribution function is measured in a wide range of conditions in the gas-discharge plasma, when the approximation of a collisionless probe layer is applicable, and the probe does not perturb the plasma, the dependence of the collection surface area of the probe on the potential can be disregarded in this range.     

Reciprocal relations for nonlinear coupled transport

Reciprocal relations are derived for transport between two pairs of reservoirs energetically coupled at mesoscopic contact points through second order in the chemical potential differences. In the derivation attention is focussed on the average number of particles transported between the reservoirs during each excursion of the contact point away from, and regression back to, a steady state. All quantities involved are experimentally accessible in the full counting statistics of the transport processes.