Sharp bursts of high-flux reactive species in submicrosecond atmospheric pressure glow discharges

Journal Article · Mon Dec 04 00:00:00 EST 2006 · Applied Physics Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.2397570· OSTI ID:20880122

Walsh, J L; Kong, M G ^[1]

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1. Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, Loughborough University, Loughborough, Leicestershire LE11 3TU (United Kingdom)

In this letter, the authors present an experimental study of the temporal characteristics of submicrosecond pulsed atmospheric glow discharges. Using electrical measurements and nanosecond-resolved optical emission spectroscopy, they show that a long initial period of each voltage pulse is spent building up space charges and is then followed by a large current pulse in the voltage-falling phase. Reactive plasma species such as oxygen atoms and OH radicals are produced in a train of sharp and independent pulses of 50-100 ns wide. Finally, their production is shown to increase significantly as the voltage pulse width reduces or the repetition frequency increases.

• OSTI ID: 20880122
• Journal Information: Applied Physics Letters, Vol. 89, Issue 23; Other Information: DOI: 10.1063/1.2397570; (c) 2006 American Institute of Physics; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0003-6951
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE
ELECTRIC POTENTIAL
EMISSION SPECTROSCOPY
GLOW DISCHARGES
HYDROXYL RADICALS
OXYGEN
PLASMA
PLASMA DIAGNOSTICS
PULSES
SPACE CHARGE