The Effects of Wave Optics as They Are Observed in Ionization Waves in Plasma

Author

Belonogov, A.N. ; Dubinov, Alexander E. ; Maksimov, Artem N. ; Selemir, Victor D.

Author_Institution

All-Russian Sci. & Res. Inst. of Exp. Phys. (VNIIEF), Russian Fed. Nucl. Center (RFNC), Sarov, Russia

Volume

41

Issue

1

fYear

2013

fDate

Jan. 2013

Firstpage

36

Lastpage

42

Abstract

A wire-discharge chamber containing a hollow cathode was designed and tested at reduced pressure. Immobile ionization waves in the form of circular strata and 2-D wave beams were obtained from the mixture of air and ethanol vapor. Wave images in polygonal and spiral forms were recorded. Patterns of ionization waves having topologically nontrivial forms featuring separatrix were found. Diffraction effects of wave optics associated with the scattering of ionization waves on obstacles and slots (the Fraunhofer diffraction) were observed for the first time.

Keywords

Fraunhofer diffraction; gas mixtures; glow discharges; ionisation; physical optics; plasma waves; 2D wave beams; Fraunhofer diffraction; air-ethanol vapor mixture; circular strata; diffraction effects; hollow cathode; ionization wave patterns; ionization wave scattering; ionization waves; plasma; polygonal forms; spiral forms; wave images; wave optics effects; wire-discharge chamber; Anodes; Cathodes; Diffraction; Discharges (electric); Ionization; Plasmas; Spirals; Air; circular strata; diffraction; ethanol; glow discharge; ionization wave; plasma; strata; wave beam; wire discharge;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Plasma Science, IEEE Transactions on

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0093-3813

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/TPS.2012.2230342

Filename

6387315