Effect of the gas dynamic structure of a flow on the parameters of a self-sustained discharge. II

The limiting current of a self-sustained glow discharge is calculated. Two-dimensional equations for the flow of a viscous, vibrationally nonequilibrium gas and a model of the cathode sheath are used. The validity of the approximations which form the basis of the cathode sheath model was tested with experimental data for anomalous and normal currents. The effects of laminar and turbulent gas flow and of the geometric dimensions of the channel on the limiting discharge current are examined. Zh. Tekh. Fiz. 69, 49–55 (November 1999)     

Effect of cathode surface state on the characteristics of pulsed hollow-cathode glow discharges

A study is made of the effect of pulse repetition rate (0.1−10³ s⁻¹) and average discharge current (0–1 A) on the breakdown delay time and burning voltage of low-pressure glow discharges (p<0.1 Pa) in an electrode system of the reverse magnetron type with a large cathode surface area (≈10³ cm²). It is shown that increasing the repetition rate leads to a many-fold reduction in the statistical spread in the delay time and in the discharge formation time, while the average discharge current has a significant effect on the burning voltage. The mechanism for the observed phenomena is interpreted qualitatively in terms of the presence of thin dielectric films on the cathode surface. Zh. Tekh. Fiz. 69, 20–24 (May 1999)     

Critical (burst) electron emission from dielectrics, induced by injection of a dense electron beam

A dense pulsed electron beam and nanosecond pulse length has been used to inject negative electric charge into various dielectric materials (single crystals, glasses, composites, plastics) for initiation of electron field emission from the dielectric into a vacuum. It has been shown that upon reaching a critical electric field in the bulk and at the dielectric surface there is intense critical electron emission. The local current density from the emission centers reaches a record value (for dielectrics) of the order of 10⁶ A/cm². The emission occurs in the form of a single gigantic pulse. The measured amplitude of the emission current averaged over the emitting surface is the same order of magnitude as the injected electron current: 10–1000 A. the emission current pulse lages behind the current pulse of the primary electron beam injected into the sample. The delay time is in the range 1–20 nsec and decreases with increasing current density of the injected beam. Direct experimental evidence is found for intense generation of carriers (band or quasifree electrons) in the near-surface layer of the dielectric in a strong electric field due to the Frenkel-Poole effect and collisional ionization of traps, usually various donor levels. This process greatly strengthens the field emission from the dielectric. It has been shown experimentally that the emission is nonuniform and is accompanied by “point bursts” at the surface of the dielectric and ionized plasma spikes in the vacuum interval. These spikes are the main reason that the transition of the field emission into “bursts” is critical, similar to the current which has been previously observed in metals and semiconductors. However there are a number of substantial differences. For example the critical field emission current density needed for the transition into “bursts” is three orders of magnitude less than for metals. If we provide sufficient electron current at the surface or from the bulk of the dielectric to the emission centers, then the critical emission is always accompanied by a vacuum discharge between the surface of the dielectric and a metallic collector. A detailed computer model of the processes in the dielectric during injection of a high-density electron beam has been developed which allows one to understand the complex physical pattern of the phenomenon. Tomsk Polytechnic University. Institute of High-Current Electronics, Siberian Section, Russian Academy of Sciences. Translated from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Fizika, No. 11, pp. 45–67, November, 1997.     

Distribution of the electric field and current in a turbulent conducting fluid for small magnetic Reynolds numbers

Various aspects of the influence of an external magnetic field on turbulent flow of a conducting fluid are investigated. The distributions of electric variables are determined for weak magnetic fields (both the electric field and the current have nonzero values in this case). For very strong magnetic fields it is shown that turbulent motion acquires a two-dimensional character. The emergence of an electric current component perpendicular to the flow and to the magnetic field is described in the case of a temperature-stratified medium in the presence of turbulent heat flux. Zh. éksp. Teor. Fiz. 111, 528–535 (February 1997)     

Emission properties of a plasma cathode based on a glow discharge for generating nanosecond electron beams

The emission properties of a plasma cathode based on a nanosecond pulsed glow discharge with currents of up to 200A at a pressure of 5×10⁻² Pa are studied experimentally. Stable ignition and burning of the discharge are ensured if the current in the auxiliary pulsed discharge is 25–30% of that in the main discharge and its pulse duration exceeds that of the main discharge by more than an order of magnitude. Emission current pulses from the cathode with amplitudes of up to 140A fully reproduce the discharge current and are determined by the transparency of the grid anode. Zh. Tekh. Fiz. 69, 62–65 (November 1999)     

Time-resolved processes in a pulsed electrical discharge in argon bubbles in water

A phenomenological picture of a pulsed electrical discharge in gas bubbles in water is produced by combining electrical, spectroscopic, and imaging characterization methods. The discharge is generated by applying 1 m\mu s pulses of 5 to 20 kV between a needle and a disk electrode submerged in water. An Ar gas bubble surrounds the tip of the needle electrode. Imaging, electrical characteristics, and time-resolved optical emission spectroscopic data suggest a fast streamer propagation mechanism and the formation of a plasma channel in the bubble. Comparing the electrical and imaging data for consecutive pulses applied to the bubble at a frequency of 1 Hz indicates that each discharge proceeds as an entirely new process with no memory of the previous discharge aside from the presence of long-lived chemical species, such as ozone and oxygen. Imaging and electrical data show the presence of two discharge events during each applied voltage pulse, a forward discharge near the beginning of the applied pulse depositing charge on the surface of the bubble and a reverse discharge removing the accumulated charge from the water/gas interface when the applied voltage is turned off. The pd value of ~ 300–500 torr cm, the 1 μs long pulse duration, low repetition rate, and unidirectional character of the applied voltage pulses make the discharge process here unique compared to the traditional corona or dielectric barrier discharges.     

Intense XUV emission generated by a capillary discharge based apparatus

We present the characterization of an apparatus generating XUV radiation by a high peak value (20–40) kA and short rise time (≈ 20 ns) current pulse in a capillary discharge channel (up to 20 cm in length) filled by argon gas. The apparatus has been developed with the purpose of production of an intensive spontaneous emission in the spectral region of (2–50) nm and study of the z-pinch conditions for obtaining the laser generation in the Nelike Ar at 46.9 nm. The current pulses are generated by the direct discharge of a 7 nF water dielectric capacitor resonantly charged up to 400 kV by a six-stages Marx generator. The XUV radiation emitted during the radial compression of the plasma column is measured using calibrated PIN diodes, filters and multilayer mirrors in order to test the z-pinch plasma collapse and to measure the conversion efficiency of the electrical energy into the XUV radiation. This work is supported by the Italian National Institute of Nuclear Physics and in part by the Italian National Institute of Matter Physics.     

Pressure dynamics in a supersonic flow during initiation of pulse surface sliding discharges

The supersonic air flow at Mach numbers of 1.1–1.6 in a shock tube is experimentally investigated during initiation of nanosecond pulse surface sliding discharges. The shadow images of the flow field after discharge initiation, which characterize the dynamics of shock waves propagating from the discharge area, are obtained. Periodic pressure pulsations on the shock tube channel wall are recorded. The pressure dynamics is shown to correspond to both the motion of shock waves from the discharge area and a supersonic flow of the discharge-excited gas near the channel wall. The pressure increase on the shock tube channel wall was 6–18%, as compared to the pressure in an unperturbed flow. Original Russian Text ? D.F. Latfullin, I.V. Mursenkova, N.N. Sysoev, 2009, published in Vestnik Moskovskogo Universiteta. Fizika, 2009, No. 3, pp. 114–116.     

Parameters of the discharge plasmas of surface-plasma sources of negative hydrogen ions

The main parameters of the plasma of high-current hydrogen-cesium glow discharges of surface-plasma (planotron and Penning) sources of negative hydrogen ions are determined using contact-free spectroscopic methods and compared for identical discharge current densities. The elemental and charge composition of the plasma is established. The temperature of the hydrogen atoms and the energy of the visible-range radiation of the plasma discharge are measured and estimates of the electron density in the plasma are made. The dynamics of the change in the parameters of the discharge plasma of a Penning source — the densities of hydrogen atoms, cesium atoms and ions, and molybdenum atoms — is tracked during a discharge pulse with spatial resolution along two coordinates. It is observed that cesium atoms and ions and molybdenum atoms are pent up near the cathode surface. Zh. Tekh. Fiz. 68, 32–38 (October 1998)     

The effects of normal current density and the plasma spatial structuring in argon DBDs

This paper presents the results of theoretical studies of high-pressure dielectric barrier discharges (DBD) in argon. Two different DBDs at the megahertz and the kilohertz power frequency range were simulated. The effect of normal current density was obtained in the numerical model for both types of the discharge. The discharge of megahertz range was uniform over the radius. The increase in the discharge current is accompanied by increase in the discharge area. The discharge of kilohertz range is not uniform over the radius. The concentric ring formation was observed during calculations. The increase in the discharge current occurs due to increase in the number of rings and as a result in the discharge area. The developed 2D model is able to describe only the first stage of the filament formation – the formation of concentric plasma rings. The filament formation starts at the edge of the current channel and spreads to its centre. Both the effect of normal current density and the filaments formation are caused by the nonstationarity at the current channel boundary.     

Plasma torches and electrophysical parameters of the diaphragm discharge in water

This work is aimed at studying plasma torch formation, voltages, currents, power distribution, and resistance variation in the case of the little understood low-energy (≤10 J) diaphragm discharge initiated in water and salt solutions. Plasma torches associated with this type of discharge differ considerably from those of other discharges. Different shapes of anode and cathode torches, breakdowns between the diaphragm and one of the electrodes, and a specific form of cathode breakdown are observed. It is found that the electrical conductivity of the medium influences the parameters of the plasma formations, current pulses, dielectric strength of the medium, current pulse variation at “semibreakdowns,” etc. Based on the experimental data, it is concluded that the process of discharge initiation differs from that described in the literature.     

Electrical characterization of dielectric barrier discharge driven by repetitive nanosecond pulses in atmospheric air

Dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) is an important method to produce non-thermal plasma, which has been widely used in many fields. In the paper, a repetitive nanosecond-pulse generator is used for the excitation of DBD. Output positive pulse of the generator has a rise time of about 15 ns and a full width at half maximum of 30–40 ns, and pulse repetition frequency varies from single shot to 2 kHz. The purpose of this paper is to experiment the electrical characteristics of DBD driven by repetitive nanosecond pulses. The variables affecting discharge conditions, including air gap spacing, dielectric thickness, barrier fashion, and applied pulse repetition frequency, are investigated. The relationship between electric field, discharge current, instantaneous discharge power across air gap, and estimated electron density with the length of air gap, dielectric thickness, barrier fashion, and pulse repetition frequency is obtained respectively, and the experimental results are also discussed. In addition, two typical images exhibiting homogeneous and filamentary discharges are given with different experimental conditions.     

Creepage discharge along the surface of solid dielectrics in water

Experimental data is given for the discharge voltage for creepage discharge in tap water as a function of the thickness, flange length, (creepage path over dielectric surface), permittivity of the solid dielectric, field configuration, polarity of the applied voltage pulse, and a number of other parameters. The experimental data discussed are the delay time with dielectric flange sparkover by creepage discharge, the average discharge propagation rate for both polarities, and the creepage discharge current and leakage resistance.     

Nonlinear propagation of optical pulses of a few oscillations duration in dielectric media

Using a semi-phenomenological model of the polarization response of an isotropic solid dielectric that does not resort to the slowly-varying-envelope approximation, we have obtained a nonlinear wave equation for the electric field of a femtosecond light pulse propagating in the given dielectric. Evidence is presented that this equation possesses breatherlike solutions in the region of anomalous group dispersion and does not have any solutions in the form of steady-state traveling solitary video pulses. A universal relation is found linking the minimum possible duration of a breatherlike pulse with the medium parameters. It is shown that such a pulse contains roughly one and a half periods of the light-wave. Zh. éksp. Teor. Fiz. 111, 404–418 (February 1997)     

Modeling the development of the stepped leader of a lightning discharge

A stochastic-deterministic model is presented for the propagation of a downward-moving leader. Lightning formation is described by a stochastic growth of branching discharge channels which is determined by the electrostatic field. The dynamics of the electric field and of the charge distribution over the lightning structure are calculated deterministically. The model includes the initiation of lightning, a preliminary discharge in a cloud, the propagation of a downwardmoving stepped leader toward the earth, and the initiation and upward motion of a return stroke from the earth’s surface. Numerical execution of the model yields a dynamic picture of the development of the downward-moving leader and of the intracloud discharge structure. The effect of the charge density in the cloud and the parameters of the developing channels on the spatial-temporal, current, and charge characteristics of the stepped leader’s propagation are studied. The effect of free-standing structures on the distribution of points on the earth’s surface where lightning strikes is examined. Zh. Tekh. Fiz. 69, 48–53 (April 1999)     

Mismatch of dielectric constants at the interface of nanometer metal-oxide-semiconductor devices with high-<Emphasis Type="Italic">K</Emphasis> gate dielectric impacts on the inversion charge density

The comparison of the inversion electron density between a nanometer metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) device with high-K gate dielectric and a SiO₂ MOS device with the same equivalent oxide thickness has been discussed. A fully self-consistent solution of the coupled Schr?dinger–Poisson equations demonstrates that a larger dielectric-constant mismatch between the gate dielectric and silicon substrate can reduce electron density in the channel of a MOS device under inversion bias. Such a reduction in inversion electron density of the channel will increase with increase in gate voltage. A reduction in the charge density implies a reduction in the inversion electron density in the channel of a MOS device. It also implies that a larger dielectric constant of the gate dielectric might result in a reduction in the source–drain current and the gate leakage current.     

Equilibrium of a high-current channel in the general theory of relativity

The condition for equilibrium of a high-current channel taking account of both electromagnetic and gravitational interactions of the charges with an arbitrary drift-to-light velocity ratio is derived from the equations of Einstein’s general theory of relativity. The relative motion appearing between the electron and ion subsystems as a result of the current flow gives rise to an additional gravitational attraction between these subsystems. This is a relativistic effect that cannot be obtained in the Newtonian approximation. Zh. éksp. Teor. Fiz. 112, 385–399 (August 1997)     

大气压介质阻挡辉光放电中放电电流的测量与分析

介质阻挡放电产生的低温等离子体具有广泛的应用前景而成为研究热点。文章利用平行平板介质阻挡放电装置,在流动的氦气中实现了大气压均匀辉光放电,得到了大气压下的均匀等离子体。利用电学方法将放电电流从总电流中分离出来,从而得到了辉光放电的放电电流。通过分析放电电流、外加电压、气隙上电压以及壁电荷电量之间的相互关系,可以研究气体放电过程中壁电荷积累的微观动力学行为。实验结果表明壁电荷主要是在放电电流脉冲持续期间积累的,但电流脉冲结束后,由于气隙电压没有改变极性,壁电荷还会逐渐积累,气隙电压改变极性后,壁电荷量随时间减小。这些结果对壁电荷在介质阻挡辉光放电中作用的深入研究和大气压介质阻挡辉光放电的工业应用具有重要意义。     

Discharge and flow characterizations of the double-side sliding discharge plasma actuator

We investigate the discharge and flow characterizations of a double-side siding discharge plasma actuator driven by different polarities of direct current(DC) voltage. The discharge tests show that sliding discharge and extended discharge are filamentary discharge. The irregular current pulse of sliding discharge fluctuates obviously in the first half cycle,ultimately expands the discharge channel. The instantaneous power and average power consumptions of sliding discharge are larger than those of the extended discharge and dielectric barrier discharge(DBD). The flow characteristics measured by a high-frequency particle-image-velocimetry system together with high-speed schlieren technology show that the opposite jet at the bias DC electrode is induced by sliding discharge, which causes a bulge structure in the discharge channel.The bias DC electrode can deflect the direction of the induced jet, then modifying the properties of the boundary layer.Extended discharge can accelerate the velocity of the starting vortex, improving the horizontal velocity profile by 203%.The momentum growth caused by extended discharge has the largest peak value and the fastest growth rate, compared with sliding discharge and DBD. However, the momentum growth of sliding discharge lasts longer in the whole pulsed cycle,indicating that sliding discharge can also inject more momentum.     

Convective model of a microwave discharge in a gas at atmospheric pressure in the form of a spatially localized plasma

Experiments and a theoretical model consistent with them are presented which show that a stationary microwave discharge in a gas at atmospheric pressure under the action of free convection due to the action of the buoyant force on the heated air can be spatially localized, taking a spheroidal shape. Vortex motion inside the spheroid gives this localized plasma formation some of the properties of a material body which are manifested in a distinct material isolation from the surrounding space, in the formation of a narrow thermal boundary layer and flow separation, and in the formation of secondary vortices in the wake region. The characteristic radius of the stationary localized plasma is governed mainly by the wavelength of the microwave radiation a∼0.137λ. Energy balance is established to a significant degree by convective cooling of the microwave-heated structure. Zh. éksp. Teor. Fiz. 112, 877–893 (September 1997)