Operating modes of an atmospheric pressure radio frequency plasma

Author

Yang, Xiawan ; Moravej, Maryam ; Nowling, Gregory R. ; Chang, Jane P. ; Hicks, Robert F.

Author_Institution

Dept. of Chem. Eng., Univ. of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA

Volume

33

Issue

2

fYear

2005

fDate

4/1/2005 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

294

Lastpage

295

Abstract

The physics of an atmospheric pressure, radio frequency plasma has been investigated. The discharge is generated with helium and 0.4 vol.% nitrogen passing between two metal electrodes with a 3.0-mm gap. It was discovered that at a critical power density of 2.1 kW/cm³, the plasma undergoes sheath breakdown and transitions from the α- to the γ-mode. Photographs are presented showing the unique distribution of excited-state species under these conditions.

Keywords

helium; high-frequency discharges; nitrogen; plasma instability; plasma sheaths; plasma sources; 3.0 mm; He-N; atmospheric pressure radiofrequency plasma; critical power density; excited-state species; helium; metal electrodes; nitrogen; photographs; plasma modes; plasma sheath breakdown; Atmospheric-pressure plasmas; Electrodes; Helium; Nitrogen; Plasma density; Plasma materials processing; Plasma sheaths; Plasma sources; Radio frequency; Voltage; Atmospheric pressure plasma; radio frequency;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Plasma Science, IEEE Transactions on

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0093-3813

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/TPS.2005.845057

Filename

1420443