Detailed comparison between probe density measurements of glow discharge in argon and in helium

In this article we shall look a bit more closely at some of the fundamental plasma parameters obtained by a cylindrical Langmuir probe within low-pressure electrical gas discharge plasma. The presented measurements were made in argon and in helium glow discharge plasmas. We are mainly concerned with the densities of the charged particles (electrons and ions) within the plasma and the effect of the discharge conditions upon them. The electron density is calculated from the electron current at the space potential and from the integration over the EEDF. The ion density is calculated by using the OML collisionless theory. The parameterization of Laframboise's numerical results is also used for the ion density calculation. In the range of our experimental conditions the results of plasma density, for both gases, tend to show that the ion densities measured with the OML and Laframboise theories exceeds the measured electron densities. The results also show that the plasma electron and ion densities increased with both discharge power and gas pressure.     

Some properties of high-pressure and low temperature thermal krypton plasma with sodium as additive

Results of a theoretical evaluation of electrical and thermal conductivities and their ratio (the Wiedemann-Franz ratio), regarded as functions of pressure and temperature, for high-pressure (0.1 MPa to 2.5 MPa) and low-temperature (2000 K to 20000 K) krypton plasma containing up to 10% of added sodium are presented. The numerical calculation were based on the assumption that the system is kept under constant pressure and temperature and that it attained local thermodynamical equilibrium. Use was made of a previously derived modified Debye radius which allowed to regard the plasmas investigated as weakly non-ideal and to calculate their composition from a set of Saha equations for the relevant ionization stages of both Kr and Na. It was found that the addition of as little as 1% of Na profoundly alters the properties of the plasma.     

Discharge characteristics of an atmospheric-pressure capacitively coupled radio-frequency argon plasmas

In this Letter, the electrical discharge characteristics of plasmas generated in coaxial cylindrical electrodes capacitively powered by radio-frequency power supply at atmospheric pressure are investigated with respect to argon gas. The electrical discharge parameters, the current and voltage characteristics (I–V) and the current and power characteristics (I–P), are measured for argon plasmas, and the electron temperatures and electron densities are estimated based on the equivalent circuit model and by making use of the power balance equation. Furthermore, the influence of the additive gas, oxygen gas, on the electrical discharge characteristics is also investigated in the argon plasmas, which is closely related to the electron temperature of plasmas.     

Phase transitions in quantum plasmas

We present a theory for a critical point and phase transitions in quantum plasmas (QPs). We use a newly obtained Lennard-Jones-type interaction potential or an oscillating exponential-screened Coulomb potential around ions that are screened by degenerate electrons in an unmagnetized QP. Expressions for the free energy and an equation of state for non-degenerate ions are obtained. It is found that the existence of a critical point and phase separations in our QPs depends on the Wigner–Seitz electron radius and the equilibrium ion temperature. Our results are relevant for understanding superdense astrophysical objects such as the cores of white dwarfs.     

高温非平衡条件下氟原子亲电动力学的激波管研究

用激波管方法研究了氟原子亲电动力学.利用反射激波加热获得离子化气体,随后经冷却速度达106K/s的强稀疏波冷却,离化气体将经历以电子复合为主的非平衡过程.用Langmuir静电探针监测反射激波后离子浓度随时间的演变,分析了探针工作状态,引入了探针鞘层内的弹性散射修正.测定了温度在1200～2200K以氩气为碰撞第三体的F原子与电子复合速率系数,讨论了温度依赖关系.     

碰撞辐射稳态等离子体电荷态分布的一种扩展模型

通过等离子体中离子激发-退激发平衡关系,构造一种离子激发组态之间满足的非Boltzmann分布,利用这个分布作为权函数对原子过程速率系数进行平均,构造出一个扩展的碰撞辐射稳态模型.利用该模型计算从低Z到高Z元素等离子体平均离子电荷随电子温度的变化.进而研究非Boltzmann分布对平均电离度和激发组态相对密度的影响.结果表明,它对相对激发组态密度的影响非常显著. 关键词： 扩展的碰撞辐射稳态 概率分布 能级动理学     

One-dimensional solution to the stable, space-charge-limited emission of secondary electrons from plasma-wall interactions

Numerical solutions to the stable, space-charge-limited emission of secondary electrons from plasma-wall interaction are found based on one-dimensional plasma moment equations that assume cold ions, Maxwellian electrons and cold secondary electrons. The numerical method finds a range of plasma parameters that permit stable emission of secondary electrons in the absence of normal electric fields to the wall. These solutions were not obtained with previous method that solves only for the marginally stable plasma sheath. Range of the ion Mach number at the sheath edge, the floating wall potential relative to the plasmas, and secondary electron emission coefficients corresponding to the vanishing normal electric fields are found for hydrogen, argon and xenon plasmas. The results show that a relatively small range of secondary electron emission coefficient exists to allow stable sheaths structures along with larger ranges of ion injection speed at the sheath edge and floating potential of the emitting wall.     

Power Consideration for Pulsed Discharges in Potassium Seeded Argon

Minimization of energy consumed in plasma generation is critical for applications, in which a large volume of plasmas is needed. We suggest that a high electron density atmospheric pressure plasmas can be generated by pulsed discharges in potassium seeded argon at an elevated temperature with a very small power input. The ionization efficiency and power budget of pulsed discharges in such plasmas are analytically studied. The results show that ionization efficiency of argon, especially at small reduced electric field E/N （the ratio of the electric field to the gas number density）, is improved effectively in the presence of small amount of potassium additives. Power input of pulsed discharge to sustain a prescribed average level of ionization in potassium seeded argon is three orders of magnitude lower than that in pure argon. Further, unlike in pure argon, it is found that very short high-voltage pulses with very high repetition rates are unnecessary in potassium seeded argon. A pulse with lOOns of pulse duration, 5kHz of repetition rate, and 2Td （1 Td = 1 × 10^-21 Vm^2） of E/N is enough to sustain an electron density of 10^19 m^-3 in 1 arm 1500K Ar＋0.1% K mixture, with a very small power input of about 0.08 × 10^4 W/m^3.     

PIC/MCC Simulation of Electron and Ion Currents to Spherical Langmuir Probe

The Particle In Cell/Monte Carlo Collisions (PIC/MCC) simulation was used for the calculation of electron and ion currents to a spherical Langmuir (electrostatic) probe. This simulation took into account the collisions of collected charged particles with neutral gas particles around the probe and it can calculate the probe currents at higher neutral gas pressures. The improvements of usual simulation techniques enabled to speed up the simulation and to calculate the probe current even for neutral gas pressures above 1 kPa. The simulations were carried out for two cases: i) probe with radius of 0.5 mm in non‐thermal plasma with high electron temperature, ii) probe with radius of 10 µm in afterglow plasma with low electron temperature. The influence of probe radius on electron probe current was also studied. The simulations showed that thick sheath limit of OML theory provides incorrect values of probe current for probes with radii larger than 200 µm at plasma parameters considered even at very low neutral gas pressures. The probe characteristics were calculated for probe with 0.5 mm radius for pressures up to 500 Pa and for probe with 10 μm radius for pressures up to 3 kPa. The influence of collisions on electron and ion probe current was demonstrated and the procedure for determination of electron and ion densities from the probe measurement at higher pressures was developed. The results from PIC/MCC simulations were compared with results from continuum theory. (© 2015 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Transport properties and weak non-ideality in xenon and argon plasmas of intermediate degree of ionization

Electron mobility and electric conductivity in xenon and argon plasmas of various degrees of thermal ionization are evaluated with the aid of a revised definition of the Debye radius permitting to treat these plasmas formally as weakly non-ideal. The analysis is carried out for temperatures ranging from 2 000 K to 20 000 K and for various initial pressures, equal to or smaller than the normal atmospheric pressure.     

仪器展宽对大气压等离子体电子密度测量的影响

实验使用两台不同的单色仪,采用光谱线型法测量了大气压氩气介质阻挡放电中的电子密度.诊断结果表明,由于不同的单色仪其仪器加宽不同,仪器加宽对总的光谱线型有较大影响.通过考虑等离子体中的各种加宽机制,采用卷积和反卷积的方法对氩原子发射谱线线型进行了分析,从整个光谱线型中分离出Stark线型,排除了仪器加宽对最终诊断结果的影响.从而最终测量了大气压氩气介质阻挡放电中的电子密度.测量得到在大气压氩气介质阻挡放电中单个放电丝存在时,电子温度为10000K时,电子密度约为3.05-3.26×1021 m-3.此方法不仅可以应用在大气压介质阻挡放电中,还可以用于测量其它大气压等离子体电子密度.     

Energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy for ECR plasma diagnostics

Electron-ion bremsstrahlung spectra down to 4 keV emitted from plasmas of the 7.25 GHz electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) ion source of the Forschungszentrum Rossendorf and of the 14.5 GHz ECR ion source of the Technische Universität (TU) Dresden were de-convoluted using a newly developed integration method. In the approximation of isotropy in velocity space this method yields the exact electron energy distribution function. The high energetic electrons are clearly separated into two Boltzmann distributed populations. Their densities and temperatures could be estimated. Higher frequencies of the microwave can increase the hot and warm electron densities by orders of magnitude. First results are obtained for the behaviour of this populations belonging to the mixture (argon — oxygen). Gas mixing increases the densities of these populations. The influence of the electron energy distribution function on X-ray line intensities is discussed.     

Contribution to the evaluation of transport coefficients in plasmas containing krypton and sodium

Electrical and thermal conductivities for low-temperature (2000 K to 20000 K) and high-pressure (0.1 MPa to 2.5 MPa) krypton plasma with some sodium (1% and 10%) as additive are presented. The plasma is treated as weakly non-ideal and having attained the local thermodynamical equilibrium states. The problem of the plasma non-ideality according to standard criteria is of the plasma Debye radius, with an improved cut-off length. Use is made of a previously derived modified Debye radius with the Landau length instead of the smallest ionic radii which allowed to regard the plasmas investigated as weakly non-ideal. This alteration in the evaluation of the Debye radius profoundly alters the equilibrium plasma compositions and their transport coefficients.     

大气压氩直流微放电光谱研究

微空心阴极放电或微放电是一种能够实现高气压下放电的有效方法。利用不锈钢空心针作阴极,不锈钢网作阳极,进行了大气压氩直流微放电实验研究。测量了大气压氩微放电光谱,发现氩气的发 射谱线主要集中在690～860 nm范围,且全部为氩原子4p—4s的跃迁。实验研究了不同放电电流、气体压强、气体流量与谱线强度之间的关系,发现谱线强度随放电电流、气体流量增加均增加,而谱线强 度随压强变化呈现不同特征：谱线强度随压强的增加先增加后降低,在13.3 kPa时强度最大。此外,选用跃迁波长为763.51和772.42 nm的两条光谱线,利用发射谱线强度比值法测量了氩气微放电等离子 体的电子激发温度。结果显示,其电子激发温度处于2 000～2 800 K之间,且随放电电流的增加而增加,随气体压强和气体流量的增加而降低。     

Resistive Electrostatic Ion Cyclotron Instability in Plasmas

The stability of electrostatic ion cyclotron waves propagating obliquely with respect to the background magnetic field is studied for collisional, fully-ionized plasmas in which there is a relative field-aligned streaming between electrons and ions. It is found that electron-ion collisions, in conjunction with electron streaming, provides a mechanism for instability. The role of electron streaming is to supply a source of free energy and the role of electron-ion collisions is to restrict the field-aligned mobility of the electrons, thus preventing them from establishing a Boltzmann equilibrium. Ion-ion collisions and finite ion Larmor radius are found to exert a stabilizing influence. The instability is analyzed for both current-carrying plasmas and counterstreaming-beam-plasma systems.     

Temperature Distributions Across the Plasma Layer of Planar Low Pressure Microwave Plasmas — A Comparative Investigation by Optical Emission Spectroscopy

Nowadays low temperature non-equilibrium plasmas received considerable attention in very different fields of plasma processing. The subject of the present paper is the comparative measurement of neutral gas temperature and optical excitation temperature to analyze the temperature distributions across the plasma layer of H₂ non-equilibrium plasmas (p = 0.2 – 1.5 kPa) with small admixtures of hydrocarbons in a novel planar microwave plasma source (2.45 GHz) used for plasmachemical deposition purposes by means of optical emission spectroscopy. Typical microwave power flux densities into the plasma lie within a range of 2 W cm^?2 to 20 W cm^?2. Results of neutral gas temperature measurements derived from H_α line Doppler profiles are compared with rotational temperatures of H₂ and N₂ molecules. The neutral gas temperature (800–1700 K) corresponds to the rotational temperature of the H₂ molecules (Fulcher band, R 0–0 branch) but shows a more distinct spatial gradient. The rotational temperature of admixtured N₂ molecules (2000–3000 K) is much more higher although Boltzmann distribution was ensured. The spatially resolved measured excitation temperature (1–3 eV) determined with the help of line intensity ratios of admixtured Ar well agrees with Langmuir probe measurements. The reported measurements as a whole demonstrate the feasibility of comparative investigations of different optically determined temperatures for expressive characterization of low pressure microwave plasmas.     

一种计算氩等离子物态方程的简单模型

将Thomas-Feimi统计模型电离势的数值结果进行函数逼近，给出一个便于近似数值求解的解析表达式和计算电离度的近似计算方法，计算了Ar元素LTE情况下的电离度和物态方程，结果与Saha模型的计算结果和实验结果符合较好.所提出的简单模型也适用于计算混合物物态方程，可以在电磁发射技术领域中的强电离等离子体中有广阔的应用前景. 关键词： 等离子体 物态方程 电离势 电离度     

A one-dimensional fluid simulation of a magnetized DC discharge including the non-uniform effects of the magnetic field

A one-dimensional simulation of a magnetized DC discharge is conducted based on the fluid equations that consider the non-uniform effects of the magnetic field. We apply a dielectric relaxation scheme (DRS) as an efficient numerical algorithm that was recently developed for simulation of low-temperature process plasmas. The simulation results, such as the spatial profiles of ion densities, electron densities, electron fluxes, and electric fields, are compared with the simulation results for which the non-uniform effects of the magnetic field are neglected.     

GMAW电弧等离子体平衡成分计算及其在光谱学中的应用

计算了常压下3 000～25 000 K范围内熔化极气体保护焊(GMAW)保护气体Ar,CO₂,82%Ar-18%CO₂及其与Fe蒸汽的混合物的平衡成分。上述气体被看作一种Ar-CO₂-Fe等离子体,等离子体中的39种粒子被分为5种主元粒子和34种非主元粒子。根据化学方程,非主元粒子由主元粒子表示以减少未知数的个数和求解量,再利用牛顿迭代法对平衡方程进行求解,最终实现了成分求解。计算结果表明,Ar气随着温度升高依次发生一次电离和二次电离,CO₂气体除了在高温时发生原子电离外,在低温时(T<8 000 K)还存在CO₂,O₂,CO等分子的解离,82%Ar-18%CO₂混合气则既有解离又有电离。Fe的加入会增加等离子体的电子密度,特别是在15 000 K以下。等离子体成分的确定为GMAW电弧等离子体辐射属性计算以及电弧中Fe蒸汽浓度的光谱测定奠定了基础。     

Spectroscopic Diagnostics of Pulsed arc Plasmas for Particle Generation

Pulsed arc plasmas were diagnosed by means of emission spectroscopy. A capacitor was discharged through argon and hydrogen leading to a few cycles of damped current oscillation with ≈120 μs period and 5‐12 kA maximum current. Spectroscopic measurements in the visible range were carried out in order to characterise the electron temperature and density in the arc channel as well as electron and gas temperatures in the afterglow plasmas. Spectra were integrated over 10 μs time windows and shifted in time from pulse to pulse. The plasmas also contained substantial fractions of electrode material (brass), namely copper and zinc. The electron density was measured in the conventional way from the broadening of H_β or from the Ar I Stark width. In the arc channel, it ranged from about 3 · 10²² to 2 · 10²³ m^–3. The broadening of Zn II lines could also be used. Ratios of Ar I to Ar II and of Zn I to Zn II line intensities were analysed for the electron temperature. Line pairs were found which lay conveniently close in one frame of the spectrometer allowing automatic on‐line analysis without relying on reproducibility. Atomic physics models including opacity were developed for Ar II and Zn II in order to check the existence of a Boltzmann distribution of their excited states. These calculations showed that the observed levels were in fact close to thermodynamic equilibrium, in particular, if the resonance lines were optically thick. Electron temperature measurements yielded values between 14000 K and 21000 K. The gas temperature in the afterglow, where particles should have formed, was derived from the rotational and vibrational temperatures of C₂ molecular bands. Ratios between Cu I line intensities yielded the electron temperatures. Both were found to be a few 1000 K. (© 2008 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)