Axial light emission and Ar metastable densities in a parallel plate dc micro discharge in steady state and transient regimes

Axial emission profiles in a parallel plate dc micro discharge (feedgas: argon; discharge gap d=1mm; pressure p=10Torr) were studied by means of time resolved imaging with a fast ICCD camera. Additionally, volt-ampere (V-A) characteristics were recorded and Ar* metastable densities were measured by tunable diode laser absorption spectroscopy (TDLAS). Axial emission profiles in the steady state regime are similar to corresponding profiles in standard size discharges (d=1cm, p=1Torr). For some discharge conditions relaxation oscillations are present when the micro discharge switches periodically between low current Townsend-like mode and normal glow. At the same time the axial emission profile shows transient behavior, starting with peak distribution at the anode, which gradually moves towards the cathode during the normal glow. The development of argon metastable densities highly correlates with the oscillating discharge current. Gas temperatures in the low current Townsend-like mode (T= 320-400K) and the high current glow mode (T=469-526K) were determined by the broadening of the recorded spectral profiles as a function of the discharge current.Comment: submitted to Plasma Sources Sci. Techno

Microplasma : a new generation of technology for functional nanomaterial synthesis

Plasma technology has been widely applied in the ozone production, material modification, gas/water cleaning, etc. Various nanomaterials were produced by thermal plasma technology. However, the high temperature process and low uniformity products limit their application for the high value added chemicals synthesis, for example the functional materials or the temperature sensitive materials. Microplasma has attracted significant attentions from various fields owing to its unique characteristics, like the high-pressure operation, non-equilibrium chemistry, continuous-flow, microscale geometry and self-organization phenomenon. Its application on the functional nanomaterial synthesis was elaborately discussed in this review paper. Firstly, the main physical parameters were reviewed, which include the electron temperature, electron energy distribution function, electron density and the gas temperature. Then four representative microplasma configurations were categorized, and the proper selection of configuration was summarized in light of different conditions. Finally the synthesis, mechanism and application of some typical nanomaterials were introduced