Microwave N{sub 2}-Ar plasma torch. II. Experiment and comparison with theory

Journal Article · Sat Jan 15 04:00:00 EST 2011 · Journal of Applied Physics

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.3532056· OSTI ID:21538045

Henriques, J; Tatarova, E; Dias, F M; Ferreira, C M ^[1]

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1. Instituto de Plasmas e Fusao Nuclear, Instituto Superior Tecnico, 1049-001 Lisboa (Portugal)

Spatially resolved emission spectroscopy techniques have been used to determine the gas temperature, the electron, and N{sub 2}{sup +} ion densities and the relative emission intensities of radiative species in a microwave (2.45 GHz) plasma torch driven by a surface wave. The experimental results have been analyzed in terms of a two-dimensional theoretical model based on a self-consistent treatment of particles kinetics, gas dynamics, and wave electrodynamics. The measured spatial variations in the various quantities agree well with the model predictions. The radially averaged gas temperature is around 3000 K and varies only slowly along the discharge zone of the source but it drops sharply down to about 400 K in the postdischarge. The experimental wave dispersion characteristics nearly follow the theoretical ones, thus confirming that this plasma source is driven by a surface wave.

• OSTI ID: 21538045
• Journal Information: Journal of Applied Physics, Journal Name: Journal of Applied Physics Journal Issue: 2 Vol. 109; ISSN JAPIAU; ISSN 0021-8979
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
ARGON
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
DISPERSIONS
ELECTRIC DISCHARGES
ELECTRODYNAMICS
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
ELECTRON TEMPERATURE
ELECTRONS
ELEMENTARY PARTICLES
ELEMENTS
EMISSION
EMISSION SPECTROSCOPY
EVALUATION
FERMIONS
FLUIDS
FREQUENCY RANGE
GASES
GHZ RANGE
HIGH-FREQUENCY DISCHARGES
ION DENSITY
ION TEMPERATURE
LEPTONS
MICROWAVE RADIATION
MIXTURES
NITROGEN
NONMETALS
PLASMA
PLASMA DENSITY
PLASMA WAVES
RADIATIONS
RARE GASES
SPECTROSCOPY
TWO-DIMENSIONAL CALCULATIONS
WAVE PROPAGATION