Magnetron sputtering deposition has become the most widely used technique for deposition of both metallic and compound thin films and is utilized in numerous industrial applications. There has been a continuous development of the magnetron sputtering technology to improve target utilization, increase ionization of the sputtered species, increase deposition rates, and to minimize electrical instabilities such as arcs, as well as to reduce operating cost. The development from the direct current (dc) diode sputter tool to the magnetron sputtering discharge is discussed as well as the various magnetron sputtering discharge configurations. The magnetron sputtering discharge is either operated as a dc or radio frequency discharge, or it is driven by some other periodic waveforms depending on the application. This includes reactive magnetron sputtering which exhibits hysteresis and is often operated with an asymmetric bipolar mid-frequency pulsed waveform. Due to target poisoning the reactive sputter process is inherently unstable and exhibits a strongly non-linear response to variations in operating parameters. Ionized physical vapor deposition was initially achieved by adding a secondary discharge between the cathode target and the substrate and later by applying high power pulses to the cathode target. An overview is given of the operating parameters, the discharge properties and the plasma parameters including particle densities, discharge current composition, electron and ion energy distributions, deposition rate, and ionized flux fraction. The discharge maintenance is discussed including the electron heating processes, the creation and role of secondary electrons and Ohmic heating, and the sputter processes. Furthermore, the role and appearance of instabilities in the discharge operation is discussed.
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J T Gudmundsson 2020 Plasma Sources Sci. Technol. 29 113001
Ronny Brandenburg 2017 Plasma Sources Sci. Technol. 26 053001
Dielectric barrier discharges (DBDs) are plasmas generated in configurations with an insulating (dielectric) material between the electrodes which is responsible for a self-pulsing operation. DBDs are a typical example of nonthermal atmospheric or normal pressure gas discharges. Initially used for the generation of ozone, they have opened up many other fields of application. Therefore DBDs are a relevant tool in current plasma technology as well as an object for fundamental studies. Another motivation for further research is the fact that so-called partial discharges in insulated high voltage systems are special types of DBDs. The breakdown processes, the formation of structures, and the role of surface processes are currently under investigation. This review is intended to give an update to the already existing literature on DBDs considering the research and development within the last two decades. The main principles and different modes of discharge generation are summarized. A collection of known as well as special electrode configurations and reactor designs will be presented. This shall demonstrate the different and broad possibilities, but also the similarities and common aspects of devices for different fields of applications explored within the last years. The main part is devoted to the progress on the investigation of different aspects of breakdown and plasma formation with the focus on single filaments or microdischarges. This includes a summary of the current knowledge on the electrical characterization of filamentary DBDs. In particular, the recent new insights on the elementary volume and surface memory mechanisms in these discharges will be discussed. An outlook for the forthcoming challenges on research and development will be given.
Sander Nijdam et al 2020 Plasma Sources Sci. Technol. 29 103001
In this review we describe a transient type of gas discharge which is commonly called a streamer discharge, as well as a few related phenomena in pulsed discharges. Streamers are propagating ionization fronts with self-organized field enhancement at their tips that can appear in atmospheric air, or more generally in gases over distances larger than order 1 cm times N0/N, where N is gas density and N0 is gas density under ambient conditions. Streamers are the precursors of other discharges like sparks and lightning, but they also occur in for example corona reactors or plasma jets which are used for a variety of plasma chemical purposes. When enough space is available, streamers can also form at much lower pressures, like in the case of sprite discharges high up in the atmosphere. We explain the structure and basic underlying physics of streamer discharges, and how they scale with gas density. We discuss the chemistry and applications of streamers, and describe their two main stages in detail: inception and propagation. We also look at some other topics, like interaction with flow and heat, related pulsed discharges, and electron runaway and high energy radiation. Finally, we discuss streamer simulations and diagnostics in quite some detail. This review is written with two purposes in mind: first, we describe recent results on the physics of streamer discharges, with a focus on the work performed in our groups. We also describe recent developments in diagnostics and simulations of streamers. Second, we provide background information on the above-mentioned aspects of streamers. This review can therefore be used as a tutorial by researchers starting to work in the field of streamer physics.
Jon Tomas Gudmundsson et al 2022 Plasma Sources Sci. Technol. 31 083001
Physical vapor deposition (PVD) refers to the removal of atoms from a solid or a liquid by physical means, followed by deposition of those atoms on a nearby surface to form a thin film or coating. Various approaches and techniques are applied to release the atoms including thermal evaporation, electron beam evaporation, ion-driven sputtering, laser ablation, and cathodic arc-based emission. Some of the approaches are based on a plasma discharge, while in other cases the atoms composing the vapor are ionized either due to the release of the film-forming species or they are ionized intentionally afterward. Here, a brief overview of the various PVD techniques is given, while the emphasis is on sputtering, which is dominated by magnetron sputtering, the most widely used technique for deposition of both metallic and compound thin films. The advantages and drawbacks of the various techniques are discussed and compared.
R Snyders et al 2023 Plasma Sources Sci. Technol. 32 074001
Since decades, the PECVD ('plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition') processes have emerged as one of the most convenient and versatile approaches to synthesize either organic or inorganic thin films on many types of substrates, including complex shapes. As a consequence, PECVD is today utilized in many fields of application ranging from microelectronic circuit fabrication to optics/photonics, biotechnology, energy, smart textiles, and many others. Nevertheless, owing to the complexity of the process including numerous gas phase and surface reactions, the fabrication of tailor-made materials for a given application is still a major challenge in the field making it obvious that mastery of the technique can only be achieved through the fundamental understanding of the chemical and physical phenomena involved in the film formation. In this context, the aim of this foundation paper is to share with the readers our perception and understanding of the basic principles behind the formation of PECVD layers considering the co-existence of different reaction pathways that can be tailored by controlling the energy dissipated in the gas phase and/or at the growing surface. We demonstrate that the key parameters controlling the functional properties of the PECVD films are similar whether they are inorganic- or organic-like (plasma polymers) in nature, thus supporting a unified description of the PECVD process. Several concrete examples of the gas phase processes and the film behavior illustrate our vision. To complete the document, we also discuss the present and future trends in the development of the PECVD processes and provide examples of important industrial applications using this powerful and versatile technology.
Stephan Reuter et al 2015 Plasma Sources Sci. Technol. 24 054001
Absorption spectroscopy (AS) represents a reliable method for the characterization of cold atmospheric pressure plasma jets. The method's simplicity stands out in comparison to competing diagnostic techniques. AS is an in situ, non-invasive technique giving absolute densities, free of calibration procedures, which other diagnostics, such as laser-induced fluorescence or optical emission spectroscopy, have to rely on. Ground state densities can be determined without the knowledge of the influence of collisional quenching. Therefore, absolute densities determined by absorption spectroscopy can be taken as calibration for other methods. In this paper, fundamentals of absorption spectroscopy are presented as an entrance to the topic. In the second part of the manuscript, a review of AS performed on cold atmospheric pressure plasma jets, as they are used e.g. in the field of plasma medicine, is presented. The focus is set on special techniques overcoming not only the drawback of spectrally overlapping absorbing species, but also the line-of-sight densities that AS usually provides or the necessity of sufficiently long absorption lengths. Where references are not available for measurements on cold atmospheric pressure plasma jets, other plasma sources including low-pressure plasmas are taken as an example to give suggestions for possible approaches. The final part is a table summarizing examples of absorption spectroscopic measurements on cold atmospheric pressure plasma jets. With this, the paper provides a 'best practice' guideline and gives a compendium of works by groups performing absorption spectroscopy on cold atmospheric pressure plasma jets.
Oscar O Versolato 2019 Plasma Sources Sci. Technol. 28 083001
Laser-produced transient tin plasmas are the sources of extreme ultraviolet (EUV) light at 13.5 nm wavelength for next-generation nanolithography, enabling the continued miniaturization of the features on chips. Generating the required EUV light at sufficient power, reliability, and stability presents a formidable multi-faceted task, combining industrial innovations with attractive scientific questions. This topical review presents a contemporary overview of the status of the field, discussing the key processes that govern the dynamics in each step in the process of generating EUV light. Relevant physical processes span over a challenging six orders of magnitude in time scale, ranging from the (sub-)ps and ns time scales of laser-driven atomic plasma processes to the several μs required for the fluid dynamic tin target deformation that is set in motion by them.
P J Bruggeman et al 2016 Plasma Sources Sci. Technol. 25 053002
Plasma–liquid interactions represent a growing interdisciplinary area of research involving plasma science, fluid dynamics, heat and mass transfer, photolysis, multiphase chemistry and aerosol science. This review provides an assessment of the state-of-the-art of this multidisciplinary area and identifies the key research challenges. The developments in diagnostics, modeling and further extensions of cross section and reaction rate databases that are necessary to address these challenges are discussed. The review focusses on non-equilibrium plasmas.
S C L Vervloedt and A von Keudell 2024 Plasma Sources Sci. Technol. 33 045005
The in-plasma-catalytic synthesis of ammonia from nitrogen and hydrogen admixed to a helium RF plasma is studied with infrared absorption spectroscopy, optical emission spectroscopy, and through chemical kinetics modeling. Sandblasted glass is used as support for iron, platinum, and copper catalysts up to a surface temperature of 150 . It is shown that the optimum ammonia production occurs at very small N2/(N2+H2) ratios with an increase of concentration with plasma power. The global kinetic modelling agrees well with the data for a variation of the N2+H2 admixture and the absorbed plasma power. The introduction of the catalyst enhances ammonia production by up to a factor of 2. Based on the comparison with the modelling, this is linked to a change in the electron kinetics due to the presence of the catalyst. It is postulated that introducing the catalyst increases the reduced electric field because it reduces the secondary electron emission coefficient. As a result, the dissociation of N2 is stimulated, thereby enhancing the NH3 formation. These experiments show that the impact of the catalyst on the plasma performance in noble gas-diluted RF plasmas can be more important than the impact of the plasma on any catalytic surface process.
Pedro Viegas et al 2022 Plasma Sources Sci. Technol. 31 053001
Plasma jets are sources of repetitive and stable ionization waves, meant for applications where they interact with surfaces of different characteristics. As such, plasma jets provide an ideal testbed for the study of transient reproducible streamer discharge dynamics, particularly in inhomogeneous gaseous mixtures, and of plasma–surface interactions. This topical review addresses the physics of plasma jets and their interactions with surfaces through a pedagogical approach. The state-of-the-art of numerical models and diagnostic techniques to describe helium jets is presented, along with the benchmarking of different experimental measurements in literature and recent efforts for direct comparisons between simulations and measurements. This exposure is focussed on the most fundamental physical quantities determining discharge dynamics, such as the electric field, the mean electron energy and the electron number density, as well as the charging of targets. The physics of plasma jets is described for jet systems of increasing complexity, showing the effect of the different components (tube, electrodes, gas mixing in the plume, target) of the jet system on discharge dynamics. Focussing on coaxial helium kHz plasma jets powered by rectangular pulses of applied voltage, physical phenomena imposed by different targets on the discharge, such as discharge acceleration, surface spreading, the return stroke and the charge relaxation event, are explained and reviewed. Finally, open questions and perspectives for the physics of plasma jets and interactions with surfaces are outlined.
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Ranna Masheyeva et al 2024 Plasma Sources Sci. Technol. 33 045019
The electron power absorption mechanisms in electronegative capacitively coupled plasmas in CF4 are investigated using particle-in-cell/Monte Carlo collisions simulations at a pressure of 60 Pa, a driving frequency of 13.56 MHz for voltage amplitudes in the interval of 100300 V, where pronounced self-organized density variations, i.e. striations, develop. The calculations are based on the Boltzmann term analysis, a computational diagnostic method capable of providing a complete spatio-temporal description of electron power absorption. The discharge undergoes an electron power absorption mode transition from the drift-ambipolar- to the striation-mode at φ0 = 180 V. Although Ohmic power absorption is found to be the dominant electron power absorption mechanism in the parameter range considered, the electron power absorption mode transition can be inferred from the behaviour of the spatio-temporally averaged ambipolar power absorption as a function of the voltage amplitude. Furthermore, it is shown, that as a consequence of the presence of striations, the temporal modulation of the electron density leads to a temporal modulation of the ambipolar electric field, which is responsible for the striated structures of various physical quantities related to electrons, such as the electron temperature and the ionization source function.
Duarte Gonçalves et al 2024 Plasma Sources Sci. Technol. 33 045020
Atmospheric-pressure microplasma jets (µAPPJs) are versatile sources of reactive species with diverse applications. However, understanding the plasma chemistry in these jets is challenging due to plasma-flow interactions in heterogeneous gas mixtures. Spatial metastable density profiles help to understand these physical and chemical mechanisms. This work focuses on controlling the shielding gas around a µAPPJ. We use a dielectric barrier discharge co-axial reactor where a co-flow shields the pure argon jet with different N2–O2 gas mixtures. A voltage pulse (4 kV, 1 µs, 20 kHz) generates a first discharge at the pulse's rising edge and a second discharge at the falling edge. Tunable diode laser absorption spectroscopy measures the local Ar(1s5) density. A pure N2 (100%N2–0%O2) co-flow leads to less reproducible and lower peak Ar(1s5) density (). Increasing the O2 admixture in the co-flow yields narrower Ar(1s5) absorbance profiles and increases the Ar(1s5) density ( to ). The position of the peak density is closer to the reactor for higher O2 fractions. Absence of N2 results in comparable Ar(1s5) densities between the first and second discharges (maxima of and , respectively). Local Ar(1s5) density profiles from pure N2 to pure O2 shielding provide insights into physical and chemical processes. The spatially-resolved data may contribute to optimising argon µAPPJ reactors across the various applications and to validate numerical models.
Bangfa Peng et al 2024 Plasma Sources Sci. Technol. 33 045018
The streamer dynamic evolution and discharge mode transition of a three-electrode surface dielectric barrier discharge (SDBD) driven by repetitive pulses are studied experimentally and numerically for better plasma-mode control and optimized application. Spatial-temporal plasma morphologic features together with electro-optical behavior are utilized to analyze the streamer dynamic evolution and streamer-to-spark transition. To gain a deep insight into the physical mechanism of the discharge mode transition in repetitive pulses, a 2D fluid model combined with a 0D kinetic model is built and studied. A good agreement between the experimental measurements and numerical simulation in the propagation dynamics and voltage–current characteristics is achieved. The results show that the surface-streamer discharge in the form of primary and transitional streamers can transform into a surface-spark discharge characterized by the primary streamer, transitional streamer and spark phase in repetitive pulses under the high applied electric field. A high gas temperature will result in a large reduced electric field after the transitional streamer, which exceeds the ionization threshold and thus promotes the discharge mode transition. A high number of electrons can be released from the negative charges by oxygen atoms during the inter-pulse period, which is favorable for the re-ignition and ionization process of the subsequent pulse discharge.
Matthias Albrechts et al 2024 Plasma Sources Sci. Technol. 33 045017
We have developed a comprehensive kinetic model to study the O atom kinetics in an O2 plasma and its afterglow. By adopting a pseudo-1D plug-flow formalism within the kinetic model, our aim is to assess how far the O atoms travel in the plasma afterglow, evaluating its potential as a source of O atoms for post-plasma gas conversion applications. Since we could not find experimental data for pure O2 plasma at atmospheric pressure, we first validated our model at low pressure (1–10 Torr) where very good experimental data are available. Good agreement between our model and experiments was achieved for the reduced electric field, gas temperature and the densities of the dominant neutral species, i.e. O2(a), O2(b) and O. Subsequently, we confirmed that the chemistry set is consistent with thermodynamic equilibrium calculations at atmospheric pressure. Finally, we investigated the O atom densities in the O2 plasma and its afterglow, for which we considered a microwave O2 plasma torch, operating at a pressure between 0.1 and 1 atm, for a flow rate of 20 slm and an specific energy input of 1656 kJ mol−1. Our results show that for both pressure conditions, a high dissociation degree of ca. 92% is reached within the discharge. However, the O atoms travel much further in the plasma afterglow for p = 0.1 atm (9.7 cm) than for p = 1 atm (1.4 cm), attributed to the longer lifetime (3.8 ms at 0.1 atm vs 1.8 ms at 1 atm) resulting from slower three-body recombination kinetics, as well as a higher volumetric flow rate.
Yuanmeng Lu et al 2024 Plasma Sources Sci. Technol. 33 04LT01
Dielectric barrier discharges (DBDs) are widely used for ozone generation and surface treatment owing to their ability to generate reactive species. Surface charges generated during discharges distort the electric field between the dielectrics and affect the generation of reactive species. Therefore, the net electric field variations are of significant interest. Herein, a DBD measurement system for the net electric field based on the Pockels effect is established for the first time. The proposed system can simultaneously measure the surface potentials on both sides of the dielectric, thereby obtaining the net electric field at the discharge gap. The net electric field distribution varies insignificantly with the magnitude of the applied voltage but significantly with gap length. Moreover, the breakdown electric field increases with a decreasing gap length. This study provides a physical explanation for microgap reactors, demonstrating that the electric field in a DBD can be manipulated.
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Wei Yang 2024 Plasma Sources Sci. Technol. 33 023001
Over the past decade, extensive modeling practices on low-temperature plasmas have revealed that input data such as microscopic scattering cross-sections are crucial to output macroscopic phenomena. In Monte Carlo collision (MCC) modeling of natural and laboratory plasma, the angular scattering model is a non-trivial topic. Conforming to the pedagogical purpose of this overview, the classical and quantum theories of binary scattering, such as the commonly used Born–Bethe approximation, are first introduced. Adequate angular scattering models, which MCC simulation can handle as input, are derived based on the above theories for electron–neutral, ion–neutral, neutral–neutral, and Coulomb collisions. This tutorial does not aim to provide accurate cross-sectional data by modern approaches in quantum theory, but rather to introduce analytical angular scattering models from classical, semi-empirical, and first-order perturbation theory. The reviewed models are expected to be readily incorporated into the MCC codes, in which the scattering angle is randomly sampled through analytical inversion instead of the numerical accept–reject method. These simplified approaches are very attractive, and demonstrate in many cases the ability to achieve a striking agreement with experiments. Energy partition models on electron–neutral ionization are also discussed with insight from the binary-encounter Bethe theory. This overview is written in a tutorial style in order to serve as a guide for novices in this field, and at the same time as a comprehensive reference for practitioners of MCC modeling on plasma.
June Young Kim et al 2023 Plasma Sources Sci. Technol. 32 073001
As long-distance space travel requires propulsion systems with greater operational flexibility and lifetimes, there is a growing interest in electrodeless plasma thrusters that offer the opportunity for improved scalability, larger throttleability, running on different propellants and limited device erosion. The majority of electrodeless designs rely on a magnetic nozzle (MN) for the acceleration of the plasma, which has the advantage of utilizing the expanding electrons to neutralize the ion beam without the additional installation of a cathode. The plasma expansion in the MN is nearly collisionless, and a fluid description of electrons requires a non-trivial closure relation. Kinetic electron effects and in particular electron cooling play a crucial role in various physical phenomena, such as energy balance, ion acceleration, and particle detachment. Based on experimental and theoretical studies conducted in recognition of this importance, the fundamental physics of the electron-cooling mechanism revealed in MNs and magnetically expanding plasmas is reviewed. In particular, recent approaches from the kinetic point of view are discussed, and our perspective on the future challenges of electron cooling and the relevant physical subject of MN is presented.
Luís L Alves et al 2023 Plasma Sources Sci. Technol. 32 023001
The field of low-temperature plasmas (LTPs) excels by virtue of its broad intellectual diversity, interdisciplinarity and range of applications. This great diversity also challenges researchers in communicating the outcomes of their investigations, as common practices and expectations for reporting vary widely in the many disciplines that either fall under the LTP umbrella or interact closely with LTP topics. These challenges encompass comparing measurements made in different laboratories, exchanging and sharing computer models, enabling reproducibility in experiments and computations using traceable and transparent methods and data, establishing metrics for reliability, and in translating fundamental findings to practice. In this paper, we address these challenges from the perspective of LTP standards for measurements, diagnostics, computations, reporting and plasma sources. This discussion on standards, or recommended best practices, and in some cases suggestions for standards or best practices, has the goal of improving communication, reproducibility and transparency within the LTP field and fields allied with LTPs. This discussion also acknowledges that standards and best practices, either recommended or at some point enforced, are ultimately a matter of judgment. These standards and recommended practices should not limit innovation nor prevent research breakthroughs from having real-time impact. Ultimately, the goal of our research community is to advance the entire LTP field and the many applications it touches through a shared set of expectations.
Sander Nijdam et al 2022 Plasma Sources Sci. Technol. 31 123001
The enduring contributions of low temperature plasmas to both technology and science are largely a result of the atomic, molecular, and electromagnetic (EM) products they generate efficiently such as electrons, ions, excited species, and photons. Among these, the production of light has arguably had the greatest commercial impact for more than a century, and plasma sources emitting photons over the portion of the EM spectrum extending from the microwave to soft x-ray regions are currently the workhorses of general lighting (outdoor and indoor), photolithography for micro- and nano-fabrication of electronic devices, disinfection, frequency standards (atomic clocks), lasers, and a host of other photonic applications. In several regions of the EM spectrum, plasma sources have no peer, and this article is devoted to an overview of the physics of several selected plasma light sources, with emphasis on thermal arc and fluorescent lamps and the more recently-developed microcavity plasma lamps in the visible and ultraviolet/vacuum ultraviolet regions. We also briefly review the physics of plasma-based metamaterials and plasma photonic crystals in which low temperature plasma tunes the EM properties of filters, resonators, mirrors, and other components in the microwave, mm, and sub-mm wavelength regions.
Karsten Arts et al 2022 Plasma Sources Sci. Technol. 31 103002
This article discusses key elementary surface-reaction processes in state-of-the-art plasma etching and deposition relevant to nanoelectronic device fabrication and presents a concise guide to the forefront of research on plasma-enhanced atomic layer etching (PE-ALE) and plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition (PE-ALD). As the critical dimensions of semiconductor devices approach the atomic scale, atomic-level precision is required in plasma processing. The development of advanced plasma processes with such accuracy necessitates an in-depth understanding of the surface reaction mechanisms. With this in mind, we first review the basics of reactive ion etching (RIE) and high-aspect-ratio (HAR) etching and we elaborate on the methods of PE-ALE and PE-ALD as surface-controlled processing, as opposed to the conventional flux-controlled processing such as RIE and chemical vapor deposition (CVD). Second, we discuss the surface reaction mechanisms of PE-ALE and PE-ALD and the roles played by incident ions and radicals in their reactions. More specifically, we discuss the role of transport of ions and radicals, including their surface reaction probabilities and ion-energy-dependent threshold effects in processing over HAR features such as deep holes and trenches.
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Böddeker et al
A gliding arc plasmatron (GAP) is a promising warm plasma source for the use in gas conversion applications but lacks an understanding of the plasma dynamics. In this paper, the gliding arc plasma conditions of a GAP operated with nitrogen flow (10 slm) are characterized using optical emission spectroscopy (OES) and numerical simulation. A simultaneously two-wavelength OES method and Abel inversion of the measured images with a spatial resolution of 19.6 μm are applied. The collisional radiative model used in this study includes Coulomb collisions of electrons. An iterative method of plasma parameter determination is applied. The determined values of the electric field up to 49 Td and electron density up to 2.510^15 cm-3 fit well to the plasma parameters received with different diagnostics methods in comparable plasma sources. Additionally, the electric current, which is calculated using the determined reduced electric field and electron density, is compared with the measured one.
Singh et al
The sheath-edge electric field (E_s) is an important parameter to patch the quasi-neutral pre-sheath and non-neutral sheath regions. The choice of E_s significantly influences the theoretically estimated values of the sheath width, potential, and ion density distribution inside the sheath, as determined by the Poisson equation. The precise nature of E_s has been a persistent subject of investigation, giving rise to the question of whether it should be zero or possess a finite value, as proposed by various authors. In this study, we determine the values of E_s by solving Poisson's equation as a boundary-value problem, utilizing experimentally determined values of sheath radius from a DC-biased hairpin probe. The obtained values of E_s are found to be finite and closely align with the analytical expressions presented by K-U Riemann [J. Phys. D: Appl. Phys. 24 493 (1991)] and Igor D. Kaganovich [Phys. Plasmas 9, 4788 (2002)]. Additionally, the impact of electron-penetrating sheaths and interacting sheaths on the applicability of the hairpin probe in low-pressure plasmas is briefly discussed.
Zhang et al
Dust particles are often electrostatically trapped and levitated within the non-electroneutral region of a sheath. The fascinating transport phenomena of dust particles strongly depend on the plasma parameters surrounding them within the sheath, whereas, that are quite difficult to obtain, leading to an unclear understanding of particle transport mechanisms. Here, we demonstrate a tunable horizontal transport of micron-sized dust particles by precisely manipulating their vertically suspended heights in an asymmetric ratchet sheath by designing dusty plasma ratchet. A collection of dust particles serves as micro-probes to detect the height-dependent transport properties and the feature of the sheath. Two methods are employed to lift or reduce the suspended heights of dust particles while maintaining the sheath unchanged. As the suspended heights of dust particles vary, their directional transport changes accordingly, including a flow reversal. A two-dimensional (2D) model of the ratchet sheath depicts the nonlinear distributions of plasma parameters and reveals that these unexpected transport phenomena can be attributed to the dependence of the electric ratchet potential and the resulting non-equilibrium net ion drag force on the suspended heights of dust particles. Our combined experimental and theoretical study provides insights into the fundamental transport properties of dust particles in an asymmetrical sheath.
Nakamura et al
Electric field measurement using electric-field-induced second-harmonic generation (E-FISHG) draws attention because of its non-invasiveness and is
increasingly being applied to various discharge plasmas. However, measurement accuracy of previous studies is unclear since approximations in calibration are
inadequate. Therefore, we have developed a measurement and analysis method that does not require approximations and can furthermore obtain the distribution
of the electric field. To demonstrate the applicability of the proposed method to discharge plasmas, in this paper, we measure the electric field as a result of the space
charge generated by DC corona discharge in atmospheric pressure air and validate the results by comparing them with those obtained using the laser-triggering method.
We demonstrate that the electrostatic field and electric field resulting from the space charge can be measured with a difference of about 10% between the results obtained
from the laser triggering method and E-FISHG method. The proposed method holds potential for applications in discharge plasmas.
Zhao et al
Positive streamer behaviors under repetitive pulses are predominantly dependent on the availability of free electrons. If surface residual electrons stored from previous discharges could be intentionally released and involved into the next discharge, an alternative control freedom is provided apart from voltage waveform tailoring methods that mainly attract or repel gaseous residual charges. Evolutions of repetitively pulsed surface streamers in compressed (0.2 MPa) air were investigated after low-photon-energy pulsed visible (532 nm) and infrared (1064 nm) laser irradiations. Pulse-sequence and temporally resolved diagnostics were implemented to investigate effects of laser parameters (irradiation moment, wavelength, energy) and gas composition. A 2D surface streamer fluid simulation was performed to qualitatively unveil impacts of localized plasma patches. The surface streamer morphology and emission light are significantly and repeatably affected by the laser irradiation before the streamer inception, while, variations totally disappear without the solid surface. The secondary streamer is prolonged accompanied by a higher flashover probability after the pulsed laser irradiation in compressed air. Intriguingly, influences of the infrared laser persist for tens of microseconds before the next voltage pulse. Residual charge dynamics under the laser irradiation are analyzed, where the additional increase of O- 2 of low electron bound energy is emphasized. The laser induced surface trapped electron desorption is achieved through the direct or the step-wise process, dependent on the laser energy and the surface trap state distribution.
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Ranna Masheyeva et al 2024 Plasma Sources Sci. Technol. 33 045019
The electron power absorption mechanisms in electronegative capacitively coupled plasmas in CF4 are investigated using particle-in-cell/Monte Carlo collisions simulations at a pressure of 60 Pa, a driving frequency of 13.56 MHz for voltage amplitudes in the interval of 100300 V, where pronounced self-organized density variations, i.e. striations, develop. The calculations are based on the Boltzmann term analysis, a computational diagnostic method capable of providing a complete spatio-temporal description of electron power absorption. The discharge undergoes an electron power absorption mode transition from the drift-ambipolar- to the striation-mode at φ0 = 180 V. Although Ohmic power absorption is found to be the dominant electron power absorption mechanism in the parameter range considered, the electron power absorption mode transition can be inferred from the behaviour of the spatio-temporally averaged ambipolar power absorption as a function of the voltage amplitude. Furthermore, it is shown, that as a consequence of the presence of striations, the temporal modulation of the electron density leads to a temporal modulation of the ambipolar electric field, which is responsible for the striated structures of various physical quantities related to electrons, such as the electron temperature and the ionization source function.
Duarte Gonçalves et al 2024 Plasma Sources Sci. Technol. 33 045020
Atmospheric-pressure microplasma jets (µAPPJs) are versatile sources of reactive species with diverse applications. However, understanding the plasma chemistry in these jets is challenging due to plasma-flow interactions in heterogeneous gas mixtures. Spatial metastable density profiles help to understand these physical and chemical mechanisms. This work focuses on controlling the shielding gas around a µAPPJ. We use a dielectric barrier discharge co-axial reactor where a co-flow shields the pure argon jet with different N2–O2 gas mixtures. A voltage pulse (4 kV, 1 µs, 20 kHz) generates a first discharge at the pulse's rising edge and a second discharge at the falling edge. Tunable diode laser absorption spectroscopy measures the local Ar(1s5) density. A pure N2 (100%N2–0%O2) co-flow leads to less reproducible and lower peak Ar(1s5) density (). Increasing the O2 admixture in the co-flow yields narrower Ar(1s5) absorbance profiles and increases the Ar(1s5) density ( to ). The position of the peak density is closer to the reactor for higher O2 fractions. Absence of N2 results in comparable Ar(1s5) densities between the first and second discharges (maxima of and , respectively). Local Ar(1s5) density profiles from pure N2 to pure O2 shielding provide insights into physical and chemical processes. The spatially-resolved data may contribute to optimising argon µAPPJ reactors across the various applications and to validate numerical models.
Simon Böddeker et al 2024 Plasma Sources Sci. Technol.
A gliding arc plasmatron (GAP) is a promising warm plasma source for the use in gas conversion applications but lacks an understanding of the plasma dynamics. In this paper, the gliding arc plasma conditions of a GAP operated with nitrogen flow (10 slm) are characterized using optical emission spectroscopy (OES) and numerical simulation. A simultaneously two-wavelength OES method and Abel inversion of the measured images with a spatial resolution of 19.6 μm are applied. The collisional radiative model used in this study includes Coulomb collisions of electrons. An iterative method of plasma parameter determination is applied. The determined values of the electric field up to 49 Td and electron density up to 2.510^15 cm-3 fit well to the plasma parameters received with different diagnostics methods in comparable plasma sources. Additionally, the electric current, which is calculated using the determined reduced electric field and electron density, is compared with the measured one.
Matjaž Panjan 2024 Plasma Sources Sci. Technol.
A high-frame-rate camera with microsecond-level time resolution was used to make systematic investigations of plasma self-organization and spoke dynamics during individual HiPIMS pulses. The plasma was imaged for a range of argon pressures (0.25-2 Pa) and peak discharge currents (10-400 A) using an Al target. The experiments revealed that plasma evolves through three characteristic stages as the discharge current increases. In stage I, which is present from the current onset and up to ~25 A, spokes are azimuthally long and rotate in the -E×B direction. The spoke behavior is similar to the one observed in DCMS discharges. The number of spokes depends on pressure and the current growth rate. At the lowest pressure (0.25 Pa) a single spoke is present in discharge, while at higher pressures (1-2 Pa) two spokes are most often observed. The spoke velocity depends on the number of spokes, current growth rate and pressure. A single spoke rotates with velocities in the 4-15 km/s range, while two spokes rotate in the 1-9 km/s range depending on the pressure and growth rate. Following stage I, the plasma undergoes a complex reorganization that is characterized by aperiodic spoke patterns and irregular dynamics. In stage II spokes are less localized, they merge, split and propagate either in the retrograde or prograde direction. After chaotic plasma reorganization, more ordered spoke patterns begin to form. Spokes in stage III are azimuthally shorter, typically exhibit a triangular shape and rotate in the E×B direction. In general, the spoke dynamics is less complicated and is only influenced by the pressure. Spokes rotate faster at higher pressures than at lower ones; velocities range from 9 km/s at 0.25 Pa to 6 km/s at 2 Pa. The spoke velocity in stage III is largely unaffected by the discharge current or number of spokes. Stage III can be further divided into sub-stages, which are characterized by different current growth rates, spoke sizes and shapes. In general, the spoke evolution is highly reproducible for pulses with similar discharge current waveforms.
Dante Filice and Sylvain Coulombe 2024 Plasma Sources Sci. Technol.
Sub-breakdown radiofrequency (RF) discharges enabled by a nanosecond (ns) pulse ignition source are studied at atmospheric pressure in a range of gas mixtures from completely inert (in Ar) to completely reactive (in CO2). An electrical characterisation of the continuous wave (CW) RF discharge (13.56MHz) is performed to determine plasma impedance and plasma power dissipation. Two different measurement methods to electrically characterize the system are described and compared. One method uses in-situ measurements of discharge parameters (voltage, current and the phase angle), and the other method performs ex-situ measurements of the load circuit using a vector network analyser. It was found that RF plasma power deposition depended on the applied RF power as well as the gas mixture composition. Using the in-situ voltage, current and phase angle measurements, plasma power deposition was calculated to be as much as 85% and 76% of the applied RF power for the pure Ar and pure CO2 cases, respectively. A preliminary qualitative assessment of the plasma composition was performed by optical emission spectroscopy, and CO2 conversion by mass spectrometry. CO2 to CO conversions of 11.2% and 5.5% in a 20:80 (CO2:Ar) mixture and in 100% CO2, respectively, were observed. This study demonstrates a RF plasma source for gas conversion applications at atmospheric pressure in a completely reactive gas.
J LeVan et al 2024 Plasma Sources Sci. Technol. 33 045014
Recent work has shown that ions are strongly coupled in atmospheric pressure plasmas when the ionization fraction is sufficiently large, leading to a temperature increase from disorder-induced heating (DIH) that is not accounted for in standard modelling techniques. Here, we extend this study to molecular plasmas. A main finding is that the energy gained by ions in DIH gets spread over both translational and rotational degrees of freedom on a nanosecond timescale, causing the final ion and neutral gas temperatures to be lower in the molecular case than in the atomic case. A model is developed for the equilibrium temperature that agrees well with molecular dynamics simulations. The model and simulations are also applied to pressures up to ten atmospheres. We conclude that DIH is a significant and predictable phenomena in molecular atmospheric pressure plasmas.
A Meindl et al 2024 Plasma Sources Sci. Technol. 33 045013
A diagnostic setup for one-dimensionally spatially resolved two-photon absorption laser-induced fluorescence (TALIF) detection of ground state oxygen atoms () is developed. The goal of this study is to investigate the evolution of temperatures and absolute number densities of oxygen atoms along the effluent of a low-pressure CO2 microwave discharge in order to gain insights into some of the mechanisms governing the post-discharge regime. The plasma source is operated at conditions of W–W of absorbed power with flow rates of sccm and sccm pure CO2 at pressures between mbar and mbar with specific energy inputs up to eV/molecule. These operating conditions exhibit high CO2 conversions (up to 90%) at low energy efficiencies (2%–7.4%), due to direct electron impact dissociation driving the conversion process resulting in splitting of CO2 into CO and metastable oxygen atoms. The TALIF measurements yield spatially resolved translational temperatures between K–K for most operating conditions and axial positions along the effluent. Reference measurements with xenon are used for absolute number density calibration. The resulting axially resolved number density profiles of ground state atomic oxygen increase along the effluent, even at considerable distances of several centimeters from the active discharge, before they reach a maximum between m−3 and m−3 depending on the condition, and decrease after that. This behavior indicates the potential significance of quenching of metastable oxygen atoms within the post-discharge regime of the investigated CO2 discharges. The measured spatially resolved number density evolutions are qualitatively consistent with quenching via wall collisions being the dominant deactivation mechanism, underlining the importance of particle-wall interactions.
Pedro Viegas et al 2024 Plasma Sources Sci. Technol.
Surface recombination in an oxygen DC glow discharge in a Pyrex (borosilicate glass) tube is studied via mesoscopic modelling and comparison with measurements of recombination probability. A total of 106 experimental conditions are assessed, with discharge current varying between 10 and 40 mA, pressure values ranging between 0.75 and 10 Torr, and fixed outer wall temperatures (Tw) of −20, 5, 25 and 50 ºC. The model includes O+O and O+O2 surface recombination reactions and a Tw dependent desorption frequency. The model is validated for all the 106 studied conditions and intends to have predictive capabilities. The analysis of the simulation results highlights that for Tw = −20 ºC and Tw = 5 ºC the dominant recombination mechanisms involve physisorbed oxygen atoms (OF) in Langmuir-Hinshelwood (L-H) recombination OF + OF and in Eley-Rideal (E-R) recombination O2 + OF, while for Tw = 25 ºC and Tw = 50 ºC processes involving chemisorbed oxygen atoms (OS) in E-R O + OS and L-H OF + OS also play a relevant role. A discussion is taken on the relevant recombination mechanisms and on ozone wall production, with relevance for higher pressure regimes.
Mikhail S Benilov 2024 Plasma Sources Sci. Technol.
When a hot arc spot has just formed on the cathode surface, e.g., in the course of arc ignition on a cold cathode, a significant part of the current still flows in the glow-discharge mode to the cold surface outside the spot. The near-cathode voltage continues to be high at all points of the cathode surface. The mean free path for collisions between the atoms and the ions within the plasma ball near the spot is comparable to, or exceeds, the thickness of the ionization layer, which is a part of the near-cathode non-equilibrium layer where the ion current to the cathode is generated. The evaluation of the ion current to the cathode surface under such conditions is revisited. A fluid description of the ion motion in the ionization layer is combined with a kinetic description of the atom motion. The resulting problem admits a simple analytical solution. Formulas for the evaluation of the ion current to the cathode for a wide range of conditions are derived and the possibilities of using these formulas to improve the accuracy of existing methods for modeling high-pressure arc discharges in relation to glow-to-arc transitions are discussed.
K J Stevenson et al 2024 Plasma Sources Sci. Technol. 33 045009
Experiments have demonstrated that ion phenomena, such as the lower hybrid resonance, play an important role in helicon source operation. Damping of the slow branch of the bounded whistler wave at the edge of a helicon source (i.e. the Trivelpiece-Gould mode) has been correlated with the creation of energetic electrons, heating of ions at the plasma edge, and anisotropic ion heating. Here we present ion velocity distribution function measurements, electron density and temperature measurements, and magnetic fluctuation measurements on both sides of an helical antenna in a helicon source as a function of the driving frequency, magnetic field strength, and magnetic field orientation relative to the antenna helicity. Significant electron and ion heating (up to two times larger) occurs on the side of the antenna consistent with the launch of the mode. The electron and ion heating occurs within one electron skin depth of the plasma edge, where slow wave damping is expected. The source parameters for enhanced particle heating are also consistent with lower hybrid resonance effects, which can only occur for Trivelpiece-Gould wave excitation.