Characterization of a Ferroelectric Plasma Source Operated at Atmospheric Pressure

Summary form given only. Proof-of-concept experiments on the ferroelectric atmospheric plasma source (FEAPS) have shown plasma produced at atmospheric pressure in both argon and air. The FEAPS has two electrodes on opposing surfaces of a ferroelectric ceramic disc. The design of FEAPS is based on a ferroelectric plasma thruster (FEPT) being developed for microspacecraft propulsion. RF voltage is applied between the electrodes and plasma forms on the surface of the ferroelectric, in an aperture of the grounded electrode. Several studies of ferroelectric sources indicate multiple mechanisms are involved in plasma production including piezoelectric resonance effects, triple- point enhancement, and ferroelectric polarization reversal. Over the operating frequency spectrum, characterization experiments were performed to find the breakdown voltage and power consumption at breakdown, composition of the discharge, electron and nitrogen rotational temperatures and plasma density.