Simulation Study of an Extended Density DC Glow Toroidal Plasma Source

Journal Article · Mon Dec 04 04:00:00 EST 2006 · AIP Conference Proceedings

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.2405929· OSTI ID:20898797

Granda-Gutierrez, E E; Piedad-Beneitez, A de la ^[1]; Lopez-Callejas, R; Godoy-Cabrera, O G; Benitez-Read, J S; Pacheco-Sotelo, J O ^[1]; Pena-Eguiluz, R; Mercado-Cabrera, A; Valencia A, R; Barocio, S R ^[2]

---

1. Instituto Tecnologico de Toluca, Apartado Postal 890, Toluca (Mexico)
2. Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones Nucleares, Apartado Postal 18-1027, C. P. 11801, Mexico D. F. (Mexico)

Conventional wisdom assigns the DC glow discharge regime to plasma currents below {approx}500 mA values, beyond which the discharge falls into the anomalous glow and the turbulent arc regimes. However, we have found evidence that, during toroidal discharges, this barrier can be ostensibly extended up to 800 mA. Thus, a computer simulation has been applied to the evolution of the main electrical characteristics of such a glow discharge plasma in a toroidal vessel in order to design and construct a respective voltage/current controlled source. This should be able to generate a DC plasma in the glow regime with which currents in the range 10-3-100 A can be experimented and 109-1010 cm-3 plasma densities can be achieved to PIII optimization purposes. The plasma is modelled as a voltage-controlled current source able to be turned on whenever the breakdown voltage is reached across the gap between the anode and the vessel wall. The simulation outcome fits well our experimental measurements showing that the plasma current obeys power laws that are dependent on the power current and other control variables such as the gas pressure.

• OSTI ID: 20898797
• Journal Information: AIP Conference Proceedings, Journal Name: AIP Conference Proceedings Journal Issue: 1 Vol. 875; ISSN APCPCS; ISSN 0094-243X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
ANODES
BREAKDOWN
COMPUTERIZED SIMULATION
ELECTRIC CURRENTS
GLOW DISCHARGES
OPTIMIZATION
PLASMA
PLASMA DENSITY
PLASMA PRESSURE
PLASMA PRODUCTION