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Title: Study of a contracted glow in low-frequency plasma-jet discharges operating with argon

Abstract

In this work, we present an experimental and theoretical study of a low frequency, atmospheric plasma-jet discharge in argon. The discharge has the characteristics of a contracted glow with a current channel of submillimeter diameter and a relatively high voltage cathode layer. In order to interpret the measurements, we consider the separate modeling of each region of the discharge: main channel and cathode layer, which must then be properly matched together. The main current channel was modeled, extending a previous work, as similar to an arc in which joule heating is balanced by lateral heat conduction, without thermal equilibrium between electrons and heavy species. The cathode layer model, on the other hand, includes the emission of secondary electrons by ion impact and by additional mechanisms, of which we considered emission due to collision of atoms excited at metastable levels, and field-enhanced thermionic emission (Schottky effect). The comparison of model and experiment indicates that the discharge can be effectively sustained in its contracted form by the secondary electrons emitted by collision of excited argon atoms, whereas thermionic emission is by far insufficient to provide the necessary electrons.

Authors:
; ; ;  [1]
  1. Departamento de Física, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, C1428EHA, Buenos Aires, Argentina and Instituto de Física del Plasma (INFIP), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Universidad de Buenos Aires - UBA, C1428EHA, Buenos Aires (Argentina)
Publication Date:
OSTI Identifier:
22489886
Resource Type:
Journal Article
Journal Name:
Physics of Plasmas
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 22; Journal Issue: 11; Other Information: (c) 2015 AIP Publishing LLC; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); Journal ID: ISSN 1070-664X
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY; ATOMS; CATHODES; ELECTRIC POTENTIAL; ELECTRONS; JOULE HEATING; METASTABLE STATES; PLASMA JETS; SCHOTTKY EFFECT; SIMULATION; THERMAL CONDUCTION; THERMAL EQUILIBRIUM; THERMIONIC EMISSION

Citation Formats

Minotti, F., Giuliani, L., Xaubet, M., and Grondona, D. Study of a contracted glow in low-frequency plasma-jet discharges operating with argon. United States: N. p., 2015. Web. doi:10.1063/1.4936277.
Minotti, F., Giuliani, L., Xaubet, M., & Grondona, D. Study of a contracted glow in low-frequency plasma-jet discharges operating with argon. United States. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4936277
Minotti, F., Giuliani, L., Xaubet, M., and Grondona, D. 2015. "Study of a contracted glow in low-frequency plasma-jet discharges operating with argon". United States. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4936277.
@article{osti_22489886,
title = {Study of a contracted glow in low-frequency plasma-jet discharges operating with argon},
author = {Minotti, F. and Giuliani, L. and Xaubet, M. and Grondona, D.},
abstractNote = {In this work, we present an experimental and theoretical study of a low frequency, atmospheric plasma-jet discharge in argon. The discharge has the characteristics of a contracted glow with a current channel of submillimeter diameter and a relatively high voltage cathode layer. In order to interpret the measurements, we consider the separate modeling of each region of the discharge: main channel and cathode layer, which must then be properly matched together. The main current channel was modeled, extending a previous work, as similar to an arc in which joule heating is balanced by lateral heat conduction, without thermal equilibrium between electrons and heavy species. The cathode layer model, on the other hand, includes the emission of secondary electrons by ion impact and by additional mechanisms, of which we considered emission due to collision of atoms excited at metastable levels, and field-enhanced thermionic emission (Schottky effect). The comparison of model and experiment indicates that the discharge can be effectively sustained in its contracted form by the secondary electrons emitted by collision of excited argon atoms, whereas thermionic emission is by far insufficient to provide the necessary electrons.},
doi = {10.1063/1.4936277},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/22489886}, journal = {Physics of Plasmas},
issn = {1070-664X},
number = 11,
volume = 22,
place = {United States},
year = {Sun Nov 15 00:00:00 EST 2015},
month = {Sun Nov 15 00:00:00 EST 2015}
}