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Title: Townsend to glow discharge transition for a nanosecond pulse plasma in helium: space charge formation and resulting electric field dynamics

Journal Article · · Plasma Sources Science and Technology
ORCiD logo [1];  [2];  [3]; ORCiD logo [1]
  1. Univ. of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN (United States)
  2. Univ. of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN (United States); South China Univ. of Technology, Guanzhou (China)
  3. Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)

Stark polarization spectroscopy is used to investigate the temporal evolution of the electric field distribution in the cathode region of a nanosecond pulsed discharge in helium at 120 Torr. The measurements are performed on the He I transition at 492.19 nm, during the early stages of the discharge formation. The experimental results are compared with the predictions of a 1D fluid model. Time-resolved ICCD images show that the discharge develops as a diffuse, cathode-directed ionization wave with a Townsend-like feature before transitioning into a glow-like structure. Near anode instabilities characterized by filament formation were observed near the high voltage electrode. Within 30 ns, a reduction of the sheath thickness to about 250 μm is observed, coinciding with a gradual increase of the discharge current and proportional increase in electric field at the cathode. Additionally, the cathode electric field corresponding to this sheath with a thickness of 250 μm is about 40 kV cm-1. A subsequent steep increase of the discharge current leads to a further reduction of the sheath width. The electric field evolution as obtained by the fluid model is in excellent agreement with the measurements and shows that an enhanced ionization near the cathode is causing the space charge formation responsible for the increase in electric field.

Research Organization:
Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA); USDOE Office of Science (SC), Fusion Energy Sciences (FES)
Grant/Contract Number:
AC04-94AL85000; SC0021376; AT4010100; SC0016053; SC0020232; NA0003525
OSTI ID:
1778060
Report Number(s):
SAND-2021-4047J; 695284; TRN: US2209530
Journal Information:
Plasma Sources Science and Technology, Vol. 30, Issue 5; ISSN 0963-0252
Publisher:
IOP PublishingCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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