High-fidelity modeling of breakdown in helium: initiation processes and secondary electron emission

Lietz, Amanda Marie; Barnat, Edward V.; Nail, George R.; Roberds, Nicholas A.; Fierro, Andrew Steven; Yee, Benjamin Tong; Moore, Christopher Hudson; Clem, Paul G.; Hopkins, Matthew M.

doi:10.1088/1361-6463/ac0461

High-fidelity modeling of breakdown in helium: initiation processes and secondary electron emission

Journal Article · Wed Jun 09 00:00:00 EDT 2021 · Journal of Physics. D, Applied Physics

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1088/1361-6463/ac0461· OSTI ID:1798141

^[1]; Barnat, Edward V. ^[1]; Nail, George R. ^[2]; Roberds, Nicholas A. ^[1]; Fierro, Andrew Steven ^[3]; Yee, Benjamin Tong ^[1]; Moore, Christopher Hudson ^[1]; Clem, Paul G. ^[1]; ^[1]

Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)
New Mexico State Univ., Las Cruces, NM (United States)
Univ. of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM (United States)

Understanding the role of physical processes contributing to breakdown is critical for many applications in which breakdown is undesirable, such as capacitors, and applications in which controlled breakdown is intended, such as plasma medicine, lightning protection, and materials processing. The electron emission from the cathode is a critical source of electrons which then undergo impact ionization to produce electrical breakdown. In this study, the role of secondary electron yields due to photons (γ_ph) and ions (γ_i) in direct current breakdown is investigated using a particle-in-cell direct simulation Monte Carlo model. The plasma studied is a one-dimensional discharge in 50 Torr of pure helium with a platinum cathode, gap size of 1.15 cm, and voltages of 1.2–1.8 kV. The current traces are compared with experimental measurements. Larger values of γ_ph generally result in a faster breakdown, while larger values of γ_i result in a larger maximum current. The 58.4 nm photons emitted from He(2¹P) are the primary source of electrons at the cathode before the cathode fall is developed. Of the values of γ_ph and γ_i investigated, those which provide the best agreement with the experimental current measurements are γ_ph = 0.005 and γ_i = 0.01. In this work, these values are significantly lower than those in the literature for pristine platinum or for a graphitic carbon film which we speculate may cover the platinum. This difference is in part due to the limitations of a one-dimensional model but may also indicate surface conditions and exposure to a plasma can have a significant effect on the secondary electron yields. The effects of applied voltage and the current produced by a UV diode which was used to initiate the discharge, are also discussed.

View Accepted Manuscript (DOE)

Research Organization:: Sandia National Laboratories (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA); USDOE Laboratory Directed Research and Development (LDRD) Program

Grant/Contract Number:: AC04-94AL85000; NA0003525

OSTI ID:: 1798141

Alternate ID(s):: OSTI ID: 23159941

Report Number(s):: SAND--2021-6903J; 696762

Journal Information:: Journal of Physics. D, Applied Physics, Journal Name: Journal of Physics. D, Applied Physics Journal Issue: 33 Vol. 54; ISSN 0022-3727

Publisher:: IOP PublishingCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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