Wall loss of atomic nitrogen determined by ionization threshold mass spectrometry
- Max-Planck-Institut für Plasmaphysik, Boltzmannstraße 2, D-85748 Garching (Germany)
- Institute for Experimental and Applied Physics, Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel, Leibnizstraße 11-19, D-24098 Kiel (Germany)
In the afterglow of an inductively coupled N{sub 2} plasma, relative N atom densities are measured by ionization threshold mass spectrometry as a function of time in order to determine the wall loss time t{sub wN} from the exponential decay curves. The procedure is performed with two mass spectrometers on different positions in the plasma chamber. t{sub wN} is determined for various pressures, i.e., for 3.0, 5.0, 7.5, and 10 Pa. For this conditions also the internal plasma parameters electron density n{sub e} and electron temperature T{sub e} are determined with the Langmuir probe and the rotational temperature T{sub rot}{sup N{sub 2}} of N{sub 2} is determined with the optical emission spectroscopy. For T{sub rot}{sup N{sub 2}}, a procedure is presented to evaluate the spectrum of the transition υ{sup ′}=0→υ{sup ″}=2 of the second positive system (C{sup 3}Π{sub u}→B{sup 3}Π{sub g}) of N{sub 2}. With this method, a gas temperature of 610 K is determined. For both mass spectrometers, an increase of the wall loss times of atomic nitrogen with increasing pressure is observed. The wall loss time measured with the first mass spectrometer in the radial center of the cylindrical plasma vessel increases linearly from 0.31 ms for 3 Pa to 0.82 ms for 10 Pa. The wall loss time measured with the second mass spectrometer (further away from the discharge) is about 4 times higher. A model is applied to describe the measured t{sub wN.} The main loss mechanism of atomic nitrogen for the considered pressure is diffusion to the wall. The surface loss probability β{sub N} of atomic nitrogen on stainless steel was derived from t{sub wN} and is found to be 1 for the present conditions. The difference in wall loss times measured with the mass spectrometers on different positions in the plasma chamber is attributed to the different diffusion lengths.
- OSTI ID:
- 22402649
- Journal Information:
- Journal of Applied Physics, Vol. 116, Issue 19; Other Information: (c) 2014 EURATOM; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0021-8979
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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