Characterization of a capillary discharge plasma with a slotted geometry
A capillary plasma is created by using electrical energy from the discharge of a capacitor through a slotted insulator. The discharge of a capacitor through the insulator vaporizes the walls inside the insulator producing a plasma with a temperature on the order of a few electron volts and electron densities on the order of 10{sup 19}/cm{sup 3}. If one of the electrodes across the insulator is similarly slotted, the plasma emerges from the capillary electrode as a jet lasting several microseconds. The nature of the capillary device allows much flexibility in the geometry of the plasma generated. In addition, the temperature and density can be controlled by varying the rate and energy of the capacitor discharge. The temperature and density have been determined both spatially and temporally for various discharge energies of a capillary plasma defined by an electrode aperture 1.0 cm long and 200, 400, or 800 {mu}m wide. The temperature is determined by assuming that the plasma radiates as a blackbody and then comparing the spectral surface luminosity to a standard source. The density is determined by interferometry using a pulsed laser to provide a spatial profile at a particular time after the discharge has begun. This device is an inexpensive plasma source which may be used to conduct laser plasma interaction experiments.
- Research Organization:
- Lawrence Livermore National Lab., CA (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE; USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-ENG-48
- OSTI ID:
- 5657439
- Report Number(s):
- UCRL-LR-109531; ON: DE92009598
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: Thesis (Ph.D.)
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
PLASMA
ELECTRON DENSITY
ELECTRON TEMPERATURE
CARBON
ELECTRIC DISCHARGES
INTERFEROMETRY
IONIZATION
JETS
LUMINOSITY
TIME DEPENDENCE
ELEMENTS
NONMETALS
OPTICAL PROPERTIES
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
665000* - Physics of Condensed Matter- (1992-)
661300 - Other Aspects of Physical Science- (1992-)