Experimental study of the creation of a fire‐rod II: Emissive probe measurements

A planar electrode (collector) is immersed into a weakly magnetized discharge plasma column. Positive voltage steps are applied to the collector and time resolved measurements of the plasma response are performed by emissive probes using standard boxcar technique. On the emissive probe characteristics an interesting phenomenon is observed: a few μs after the application of the voltage step to the collector (time depends on the distance between the collector and the probe), the emissive probe starts to collect additional positive current in the potential region between plasma potentials of the high and low potential plasma. This phenomenon is investigated experimentally. We give a possible qualitative explanation that additional positive current collection is due to a combination of an interaction between the collector and the probe and space charge effects of positive ions around the probe.     

脉冲射频容性耦合氩等离子体的发射探针诊断

利用工作在浮点模式下的发射探针,对500 Hz脉冲调制的27.12 MHz容性耦合氩气等离子体的空间电位和电子温度的时变特性进行了诊断.等离子体空间电位是通过测量强热状态下的发射探针电位获得的,而电子温度则是由发射探针在冷、热状态下的电位差来估算得到.测量结果表明:脉冲开启时,空间电位会快速上升并在300μs内趋于饱和;当脉冲关断后,空间电位经历了快速下降后趋于稳定的过程.电子温度在脉冲开启时存在过冲并趋于稳定的特征;而在脉冲关断期间,电子温度在300μs内则快速下降到0.45 e V后略有上升.无论在脉冲开启或关断期间,空间电位基本上都随功率和气压的变化存在有线性的依赖关系;而放电功率对脉冲开启期间过冲电子温度与稳态电子温度差异的影响较大.针对空间电位和电子温度在各阶段及不同放电条件下的时变特性,给出了相应的解释.     

Determination of the Radial Potential Profile in the Modified Penning Discharge with a Heavy Ion Beam Probe

A heavy ion beam probe is used to examine the radial electrostatic potential profile in the Modified Penning Discharge. The plasma potential in the discharge violates the usual constraint on the ion beam energy in that the primary probing beam energy undergoes large changes in its energy while passing through the plasma. In order to determine the radial potential profile, the primary beam trajectories are calculated to agree with measured trajectories by parametric variation of a potential model in the trajectory calculating program. This iteration calculation provides a first approximation to the profile. This profile can be used to predict observation of secondary ions, and observation of such ions provides a confirmation and cross check on the potential profile model found by the primary beam.     

Saturation current densities at the critical point of a spherical probe in a moving collisional plasma with negative ions or dust grains

The problem is considered of the probe diagnostics of a moving, weakly ionized, collision-dominated plasma containing singly charged negative ions or dust grains (heavy multicharged ions). Based on an asymptotic analysis, expressions are obtained that describe the saturation current densities of the electrons and of the charged particles of other species at the point where the plasma flowing around a spherical probe in the laminar boundary layer regime stagnates.     

金刚石膜合成条件下的鞘层与等离子体参数分布

本文报导了在用热阴极直流放电等离子体化学气相沉积（通常也称ＥＡＣＶＤ．即电子辅助化学气相沉积）方法合成金刚石的条件下的等离子体密度、电子温度、等离子体空间电位分布及基片附近等离子体鞘结构，并讨论其对成膜的影响．     

Probe Measurements in Electronegative Plasmas: Modeling the Perturbative Effects of the Probe‐Holder

A basic property of an electronegative plasma is its separation into two distinct regions: an ion‐ion region far from boundaries, where the densities of positive and negative ions are higher then electron density, and a near‐boundary electron‐ion region, where negative ions have practically negligible density. This is due to the influence of the ambipolar electric field, which depends on electron (not negative ion) plasma parameters. This electric field “holds off” negative ions from the boundary, as the ions have lower mobility and temperature compared to the electrons. Therefore, negative ions will be repelled by any object inserted into the plasma. This can lead to errors in measurements of negative ion and electron parameters by any invasive method. Numerical modeling of electric probes in an argon‐oxygen plasma clearly demonstrates possible errors of direct measurements of negative ion probe current. This can also affect results from the photo‐detachment method and direct measurements of negative ion energy distribution (© 2009 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

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.     

Effect of initial ion distribution and electron relaxation of plasma on transient characteristic of a plane Langmuir probe

The transient characteristics of a plane Langmuir probe for the case of an equilibrium distribution of the plasma particles were obtained by integration of the equations of motion of test particles. The conditions in which the transient characteristic has two peaks were determined. The first peak is due to ions whose initial velocity is directed towards the probe, and the second to ions whose initial velocity is directed away from the probe. The effect of electron relaxation on the leading edge of the probe current pulse was investigated. A relation connecting the plasma ion temperature with the lag of the probe current maximum is obtained.Dnepropetrovsk State University in Commemoration of the 300th Anniversary of Reunion of the Ukraine with Russia.Translated from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Fizika, No. 8, pp. 37–40, August, 1978.     

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.     

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.     

Zur Anwendung der Sondendiagnostik in einem polymerisierenden Plasma

On the example of the Ne glow discharge with a benzol admixture the possibility of applicating the probe diagnostic in polymerizing plasmas is investigated. Heating the probe at 900°C stetady values for the floating potential, the probe characteristic and its second derivation are obtained. The variation with time of these quantities without heating the probe yields informations about the rate of polymerization. The effect of a benzol admixture from 1% to 20% on the energy distribution function of electrons and the plasma parameters in the tube axis is pointed out. From the second derivation of the characteristic at emissive probe conditions it is possible to deduce in addition to the space potential the influence of the benzol admixture on the ionization mechanism.     

Probe studies of laser erosion plume arising at silicon ablation in vacuum

An erosion plume arising at the ablation of silicon by a solid-state laser (λ = 1.06 μm) is studied with a Langmuir probe. The time-of-flight curves of the probe ion current are obtained for a plasma beam formed by intersecting plumes from two targets and for an erosion plume from one silicon target. The probe-target distance is varied in the range 40–157 mm. The time-of-flight curves for the ions of the erosion plume are sums of the velocity one-dimensional Maxwell distributions for four groups of ions. It is found that a plasma beam formed by intersecting plumes from two targets does not contain all groups of ions present in initial plumes.     

甚高频激发的容性耦合Ar+O_2等离子体电负特性研究

利用探针辅助的脉冲激光诱导负离子剥离诊断技术对掺入5%O_2的容性耦合Ar等离子体电负特性进行了诊断研究.首先详细解析了脉冲激光剥离后探针的电信号,分析了探针偏压在低于或高于空间电位下的探针收集信号特征;根据探针偏压与探针收集信号之间的依赖关系,用来描述Ar+O_2等离子体电负特性的等离子体电负度被定义为脉冲激光剥离出的电子电流与偏压高于空间电位的探针收集到的背景电子电流的饱和比值,并对等离子体电负度随放电气压、射频功率以及轴向位置的变化进行了诊断测量.实验结果表明等离子体的电负度随着射频功率的增加而减小、随着放电气压的上升而变大;由于非对称电极的分布特性,在轴向方向上靠近功率电极时等离子体电负度有升高的趋势,这种趋势可能与鞘层边界附近二次电子的动力学行为以及负离子的产生与消失过程有关.     

杂质离子对等离子体边界参量的影响

采用一维流体模型研究了含有杂质离子的等离子体与器壁材料相互作用给边界等离子体参量带来的影响.通过数值模拟,研究了分别选用碳和钨作为器壁材料时,器壁温度不同情形下热发射产生的电子对等离子体器壁电势、电场强度、热发射电子流以及沉积器壁离子动能流的影响.研究结果发现,当面向等离子体材料表面温度升高时,器壁电势和热发射产生的电流将增加,器壁电场强度和离子沉积器壁动能流则会减小,并且钨作为器壁材料要比碳作为器壁材料对于等离子体边界参量影响更明显.此外,研究了钨作为器壁材料时,碳杂质离子（浓度和电荷数）对等离子体器壁参量的影响.     

ECR等离子体的磁电加热研究

在ECR等离子体装置上进行了磁电加热研究,利用离子灵敏探针(ISP)测量了磁电加热前后离子温度的变化,研究了电极环偏压、磁场强度、气压等参数对磁电加热过程以及加热效率的影响.结果表明:等离子体的整体加热是通过离子在电极环鞘层中的磁电加热及被加热的离子沿径向的输运来完成的.轴心处离子温度随电极环偏压的升高呈非线性增加.磁电加热效率随偏压的增大而增大,在电极环偏压为1000 V时,磁电加热效率为2%-2.5%,ECR等离子体中的离子温度能够提高20 eV以上.磁场强度在磁电加热过程中对离子的限制和加热起到重要作用,当磁场强度在6.3×10^-2-8.7×10^-2T之间变化时,磁电加热的效率随磁场强度的增大而增大.气压在0.02-0.8 Pa范围内,磁电加热的效率随气压的减小而增大. 关键词： ECR等离子体 磁电加热 离子温度     

Experimental investigation and numerical simulation of the energy distribution of positive ions in the negative glow of an oxygen discharge

Using a two-electrode probe, we measured the energy distribution functions of positive ions in the cathode regions of an oxygen glow discharge. The ion distribution functions have two maxima, the magnitude and position of which depend on the gas pressure and the voltage applied to the probe. The proposed approximation of the observed distribution functions is based on the assumption that two groups of ions exist with different mean energies and well described experimental curves. We numerically simulated the measuring process and found an approach for reproducing the ion energy distribution in the plasma unperturbed by the probe. Ivanovo State Academy of Chemical Engineering. Translated from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Fizika. No. 2, pp. 54–59, February, 1998.     

Potential measurements by an emissive probe in a magnetized plasma

We find that the probe potential determined from the intersection between the characteristics of a usual cold and an emissive probe is equal to the plasma potential. In a magnetized plasma the emissive floating potential method is still useful.     

KInetic Description of the Positive Column for Medium Knudsen-Numbers

We analyze the influence of collisions on a plasma column with cylindrical symmetry in the pressure regime between the collision-dominated and the free-fall case. A model is investigated which can handle arbitrary contributions from ion-neutral-collisions. One finds an analytic solution for the ion-distribution-function which depends functionally on the potential. This electrical potential is calculated numerically — with consideration of the space-charge-layer near the wall — and selfconsistently from the Poisson-equation. From the calculation of the ion-distribution-function, of density, flux and temperature of the ions as well as of the potential variation, we discuss the influence of the model parameters. The results are compared with corresponding hydrodynamic calculations.     

Observation of Nano-Dots on HOPG Surface Induced by Highly Charged Arq+ Impact

Highly charged ions （HCIs） have huge potential energy due to their high charge state. When a HCI reaches a solid surface, its potential energy is released immediately on the surface to cause a nano-scale defect. Thus, HCIs are expected to be useful for solid-surface modifications on the nano-scale. We investigate the defects on a highly oriented pyrolytic graphite （HOPG） surface induced by slow highly charged Ar^q＋ ions with impact energy of 20-2000qeV with scanning probe microscopy （SPM）. In order to clarify the role of kinetic and potential energies in surface modification, the nano-defects are characterized in lateral size and height corresponding to the kinetic energy and charge state of the HCIs. Both the potential energy and kinetic energy of the ions may influence the size of nano-defect. Since potential energy increases dramatically with increasing charge state, the potential energy effect is expected to be much larger than the kinetic energy effect in the case of extremely high charge states. This implies that pure surface modification on the nano-scale could be carried out by slow highly charged ions. The mean size of nano-defect region could also be controlled by selecting the charge state and kinetic energy of HCI.     

Electron temperature in a decaying krypton plasma in the presence of a low electric field

The influence of low electric fields on the average electron energy in an afterglow krypton plasma is studied by means of probe diagnostics and theoretical analysis. It is shown that, when the average electron energy is lower than the energy corresponding to the minimum scattering transport cross section, the degree of plasma ionization substantially affects the shape of the electron energy distribution function (EEDF). The nonequlibrium character of the EEDF results in the density dependence of the coefficient of ambipolar diffusion, which leads to a change in the radial profile of the charged particle density, an increase in the drop in the ambipolar potential across the plasma, and an increase in the rate of diffusive plasma decay. These effects substantially enhance the diffusive cooling of electrons, which is probably a decisive factor influencing the electron energy balance in high-Z noble gases.