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The transition mechanisms of the E to H mode and the H to E mode in an inductively coupled argon-mercury mixture discharge

Journal Article · · Physics of Plasmas
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4933035· OSTI ID:22486478
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  1. CAS Key Laboratory of Geospace Environment, Modern Physics Department, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230026 (China)
In our experiment, the transition points between the two operational modes of capacitive coupling (E mode) and inductive coupling (H mode) were investigated at a wide range of mercury vapor pressures in an inductively coupled plasma, varying with the input radio-frequency powers and the total filling pressures (10 Pa–30 Pa). The electron temperatures were calculated versus with the mercury vapor pressures for different values of the total filling pressures. The transition power points and electron density also were measured in this study. It is shown that the transition powers, whether the E to H mode transition or the H to E mode transition, are lower than that of the argon discharge, and these powers almost increase with the mercury vapor pressure rising. However, the transition electron density follows an inverse relationship with the mercury vapor pressures compared with the transition powers. In addition, at the lower pressures and higher mercury vapor pressures, an inverse hysteresis was observed clearly, which did not appear in the argon gas plasma. We suggest that all these results are attributed to the electron-neutral collision frequency changed with the additional mercury vapor pressures.
OSTI ID:
22486478
Journal Information:
Physics of Plasmas, Journal Name: Physics of Plasmas Journal Issue: 10 Vol. 22; ISSN PHPAEN; ISSN 1070-664X
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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