Chong-Biao Tian, Li Wang, Máté Vass, Xiao-Kun Wang, Wan Dong, Yuan-Hong Song, You-Nian Wang and Julian Schulze
{"title":"The detachment-induced mode in electronegative capacitively coupled radio-frequency plasmas","authors":"Chong-Biao Tian, Li Wang, Máté Vass, Xiao-Kun Wang, Wan Dong, Yuan-Hong Song, You-Nian Wang and Julian Schulze","doi":"10.1088/1361-6595/ad5df8","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1088/1361-6595/ad5df8","url":null,"abstract":"Insights into the spatio-temporally resolved electron power absorption dynamics in capacitively coupled radio-frequency plasmas are essential for understanding the fundamentals of their operation and as a basis for knowledge-based plasma process development. Similar to the γ-mode, an ionization maximum is observed at the sheath edge around the time of maximum sheath voltage in electronegative oxygen discharges at a pressure of 300 Pa. Based on Particle-in-Cell/Monte Carlo Collisions (PIC/MCC) simulations, we demonstrate that this maximum is not only caused by secondary electrons emitted at the electrode and collisionally multiplied inside the sheath. In fact, it also occurs in the complete absence of secondary electrons in the simulation, and is caused by the generation of ions by electron attachment close to the electrode during the local sheath collapse. These negative ions are accelerated towards the plasma bulk by the sheath electric field during sheath expansion. By electron detachment from these negative ions, electrons are generated inside the sheath and are accelerated towards the plasma bulk by the instantaneous sheath electric field—similarly to secondary electrons. Ionization is also observed in the plasma bulk and caused by electrons generated by detachment and accelerated by the high drift-and ambipolar electric fields. This detachment-induced electron power absorption is found to have significant effects on the discharge in the presence and absence of secondary electron emission. Its fundamentals are understood based on an analysis of the spatio-temporal electron and power absorption dynamics as well as the trajectory of selected ions close to the electrode.","PeriodicalId":20192,"journal":{"name":"Plasma Sources Science and Technology","volume":"17 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141587258","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Chen Zhou, Ismail Rafatov, Ying Wang, Anatoly Kudryavtsev, Chengxun Yuan, Jingfeng Yao and Zhongxiang Zhou
{"title":"On fundamental inconsistencies in a commonly used modification of a fluid model for glow discharge","authors":"Chen Zhou, Ismail Rafatov, Ying Wang, Anatoly Kudryavtsev, Chengxun Yuan, Jingfeng Yao and Zhongxiang Zhou","doi":"10.1088/1361-6595/ad5ebc","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1088/1361-6595/ad5ebc","url":null,"abstract":"This work considers the fundamental contradictions in the concept of one of the most well-known and widely used modifications of the fluid model for simulation of a glow discharge (GD), the ‘local mean energy approximation’ (LMEA). In this model, it is proposed to determine the kinetic coefficients in the electron particle and energy balance equations as functions of the electron mean energy (temperature) rather than local electric field, using a one-to-one correspondence between these parameters through the electron Boltzmann equation. It is shown that the scope of applicability of this model, like any other modification of the fluid model, is limited by the local mode of formation of the electron energy distribution function (EEDF). Therefore, as demonstrated by the examples of typical 1D and 2D problems for a GD in argon, its extension to the region of nonlocal EEDF is in no way justified and leads not only to serious errors in the results, but also to a logically intractable situation in attempts to apply the main postulate of the LMEA model to the region of a weak (or even reverse) electric field in a negative glow plasma. At the same time, the apparent reliability of calculations within the framework of the LMEA model for a number of parameters, in our opinion, only slows down progress in modeling of gas discharge plasma.","PeriodicalId":20192,"journal":{"name":"Plasma Sources Science and Technology","volume":"25 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141588586","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pedro A S Randi, Giseli M Moreira and Márcio H F Bettega
{"title":"Elastic cross section data for precursor molecules used in low-temperature plasmas: Sn(CH3)4 and Ga(CH3)3","authors":"Pedro A S Randi, Giseli M Moreira and Márcio H F Bettega","doi":"10.1088/1361-6595/ad5d13","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1088/1361-6595/ad5d13","url":null,"abstract":"Tetramethyltin [Sn(CH3)4] and trimethylgallium [Ga(CH3)3] are important source molecules of Sn and Ga atoms which are used in manufacturing techniques involving low-temperature plasmas. Accurate numerical modeling of plasma environments requires a comprehensive set of electron scattering cross sections by these precursor molecules. Here, we report the elastic integral, differential, and momentum transfer cross sections for electron collisions with Sn(CH3)4 and Ga(CH3)3 for energies ranging from 0 to 30 eV. Our calculations were carried out with the Schwinger multichannel method implemented with pseudopotentials and considered two levels of approximation in our calculations, namely static-exchange and static-exchange plus polarization. We identified three shape resonances for Sn(CH3)4 and one clear low-lying resonance for Ga(CH3)3. The low-energy behavior of the s-wave cross section and eigenphase was investigated and, for both molecules, we found evidence of a Ramsauer–Townsend (RT) minimum and a virtual state. Our results indicate that negative differential conductivity would occur in a gas composed of Sn(CH3)4. On the other hand, this effect would be suppressed in a gas of Ga(CH3)3 due to an overlap between the position of the RT minimum and the shape resonance in the momentum-transfer cross section.","PeriodicalId":20192,"journal":{"name":"Plasma Sources Science and Technology","volume":"3 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141570101","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Shimin Yu, Hao Wu, Shali Yang, Lu Wang, Zhipeng Chen, Zhijiang Wang, Wei Jiang, Julian Schulze and Ya Zhang
{"title":"Kinetic simulations of capacitively coupled plasmas driven by tailored voltage waveforms with multi-frequency matching","authors":"Shimin Yu, Hao Wu, Shali Yang, Lu Wang, Zhipeng Chen, Zhijiang Wang, Wei Jiang, Julian Schulze and Ya Zhang","doi":"10.1088/1361-6595/ad5df7","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1088/1361-6595/ad5df7","url":null,"abstract":"Impedance matching is crucial for optimizing plasma generation and reducing power reflection in capacitively coupled plasmas (CCP). Designing these matchings is challenging due to the varying and typically unknown impedance of the plasma, especially in the presence of multiple driving frequencies. Here, a computational design method for impedance matching networks (IMNs) for CCPs is proposed and applied to discharges driven by tailored voltage waveforms (TVW). This method is based on a self-consistent combination of particle in cell/Monte Carlo collision simulations of the plasma with Kirchhoff’s equations to describe the external electrical circuit. Two Foster second-form networks with the same structure are used to constitute an L-type matching network, and the matching capability is optimized by iteratively updating the values of variable capacitors inside the IMN. The results show that the plasma density and the power absorbed by the plasma continuously increase in the frame of this iterative process of adjusting the matching parameters until an excellent impedance matching capability is finally achieved. Impedance matching is found to affect the DC self-bias voltage, whose absolute value is maximized when the best matching is achieved. Additionally, a change in the quality of the impedance matching is found to cause an electron heating mode transition. Poor impedance matching results in a heating mode where electron power absorption in the plasma bulk by drift electric fields plays an important role, while good matching results in the classical α-mode operation, where electron power absorption by ambipolar electric fields at the sheath edges dominates. The method proposed in this work is expected to be of great significance in promoting TVW plasma sources from theory to industrial application, since it allows designing the required complex multi-frequency IMNs.","PeriodicalId":20192,"journal":{"name":"Plasma Sources Science and Technology","volume":"25 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141570103","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Filippo Manaigo, Abhyuday Chatterjee, Annemie Bogaerts and Rony Snyders
{"title":"Insight in NO synthesis in a gliding arc plasma via gas temperature and density mapping by laser-induced fluorescence","authors":"Filippo Manaigo, Abhyuday Chatterjee, Annemie Bogaerts and Rony Snyders","doi":"10.1088/1361-6595/ad5df5","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1088/1361-6595/ad5df5","url":null,"abstract":"A gliding arc (GA) plasma, operating at atmospheric pressure in a gas mixture of 50% N2 and 50% O2, is studied using laser-induced fluorescence spectroscopy. The main goal is to determine the two-dimensional distribution of both the gas temperature and the NO ground state density in the afterglow. As GA plasma discharges at atmospheric pressure normally produce rather high NOx densities, the high concentration of relevant absorbers, such as NO, may impose essential restrictions for the use of ‘classical’ laser-induced fluorescence methods (dealing with excitation in the bandhead vicinity), as the laser beam would be strongly absorbed along its propagation in the afterglow. Since this was indeed the case for the studied discharge, an approach dealing with laser-based excitation of separate rotational lines is proposed. In this case, due to a non-saturated absorption regime, simultaneous and reliable measurements of both the NO density and the gas temperature (using a reference fitting spectrum) are possible. The proposed method is applied to provide a two-dimensional map for both the NO density and the gas temperature at different plasma conditions. The results show that the input gas flow rate strongly alters the plasma shape, which appears as an elongated column at low input gas flow rate and spreads laterally as the flow rate increases. Finally, based on temperature map analysis, a clear correlation between the gas temperature and NO concentration is found. The proposed method may be interesting for the plasma-chemical analysis of discharges with high molecular production yields, where knowledge of both molecular concentration and gas temperature is required.","PeriodicalId":20192,"journal":{"name":"Plasma Sources Science and Technology","volume":"4 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141570102","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Kevin Köhn, Dennis Krüger, Denis Eremin, Liang Xu and Ralf Peter Brinkmann
{"title":"Addendum: Thermodynamic quasi-equilibria in high power magnetron discharges: a generalized Poisson–Boltzmann relation (2023 Plasma Sources Sci. Technol. 32 055012)","authors":"Kevin Köhn, Dennis Krüger, Denis Eremin, Liang Xu and Ralf Peter Brinkmann","doi":"10.1088/1361-6595/ad5abd","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1088/1361-6595/ad5abd","url":null,"abstract":"A recent publication by Köhn et al (2023 Plasma Sources Sci. Technol.32 055012) studied the quasi-equilibria of high power magnetron discharges through thermodynamic principles. A generalized, magnetic-field aware Poisson–Boltzmann relation for the electric potential and the electron density was established using a non-standard (multi-objective) variational principle. This addendum demonstrates that, assuming slow or quasistatic evolution, the same result can be realized via a standard (single-objective) variational principle, thereby streamlining the theoretical framework while preserving the robustness of the finding.","PeriodicalId":20192,"journal":{"name":"Plasma Sources Science and Technology","volume":"24 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141547332","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Jiří Fujera, Tomáš Homola, Vít Jirásek, Jakub Ondráček, Barbora Tarabová, Václav Prukner and Milan Šimek
{"title":"Aerosol-based multihollow surface DBD: a promising approach for nitrogen fixation","authors":"Jiří Fujera, Tomáš Homola, Vít Jirásek, Jakub Ondráček, Barbora Tarabová, Václav Prukner and Milan Šimek","doi":"10.1088/1361-6595/ad590b","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1088/1361-6595/ad590b","url":null,"abstract":"Nonthermal plasma reactors, which enable electrical discharges to be generated in various gases and both liquid and gaseous water, have attracted considerable attention as an alternative method for producing ammonia and fixing nitrogen. In this work, we investigated the basic performance of multihollow surface dielectric barrier discharge (MSDBD) to generate plasma in synthetic air and nitrogen-containing admixtures of water aerosols. The MSDBD in combination with the aerosol stream represents a rather complex geometry for generating the discharge; the plasma is significantly affected by the physicochemical properties of water aerosols on the one hand, on the other hand, this system facilitates the solvation of gaseous plasma products in water and the production of plasma-activated nitrogen-rich water (PAW). The plasma interaction with the water aerosols was studied using optical emission spectroscopy and a scanning mobility particle sizer to provide information about the size and distribution of the water particles entering and exiting the plasma reactor. The gas exiting the plasma reactor was analyzed using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, and the PAW collected in an ice-cooled vessel was analyzed for nitrates (NO2−), nitrites (NO3−), and ammonia (NH3). MSDBD shows promise as a catalyst- and H2-free method for fixing nitrogen in water. Additionally, given the low energy consumption (<5 W) of MSDBD and the straightforward construction of the plasma unit, the suggested approach for PAW production offers a viable route for advancing a decentralized sustainable economy.","PeriodicalId":20192,"journal":{"name":"Plasma Sources Science and Technology","volume":"79 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141501178","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Simulation on the effect of oxygen concentration on the positive secondary streamer generated in oxygen-rich nitrogen–oxygen mixtures under atmospheric pressure","authors":"Zhenyu Wei, Ryo Ono and Atsushi Komuro","doi":"10.1088/1361-6595/ad5932","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1088/1361-6595/ad5932","url":null,"abstract":"In this study, we investigated the effect of various concentrations, from 20% to 90%, in nitrogen–oxygen ( ) mixtures on the characteristics of secondary streamers. As oxygen molecules have different molecular characteristics from nitrogen molecules in terms of ionisation threshold and electron attachment property, streamer discharges generated under various nitrogen–oxygen ratios may exhibit differing characteristics such as electron density, electric field, and radical formation. We focused on the changes in these parameters in secondary streamers using simulations. Simulations were first performed under the same conditions as those in previous experiments to compare the results of the ozone production, discharge current, and discharge emission characteristics. To compare the ozone production characteristics, simulated O radicals–the precursor of ozone–were used in the simulation for simplicity. This comparison showed that, although the absolute values of each parameter were different, the simulation exhibited a similar trend in the case of the experimentally obtained oxygen concentration dependence. After the validity of the simulation was verified to some extent via a comparison with the experiment, the results obtained from the simulation were analysed in detail. The results showed that, although the electric field strength in the secondary streamer did not change much as the oxygen concentration increased, the decrease rate of the electron density was greatly accelerated by the electron attachment reaction of oxygen. As a result, many of the electrons had already dissipate during the development of the primary streamer, and few electrons remained when the secondary streamer was formed. This effect suggests that the ratio of the amount of O radicals produced in the primary streamer to that produced in the secondary streamer changes as the oxygen concentration changes.","PeriodicalId":20192,"journal":{"name":"Plasma Sources Science and Technology","volume":"1 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141501179","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Effect of magnetic field configuration on double layer formation and reverse discharge ignition in bipolar HiPIMS","authors":"M Farahani, T Kozák, A D Pajdarová and J Čapek","doi":"10.1088/1361-6595/ad56c7","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1088/1361-6595/ad56c7","url":null,"abstract":"The reverse discharge (RD) phenomenon in bipolar HiPIMS has been observed when a sufficiently long positive pulse is applied to the magnetron. Due to the magnetic field, electrons accumulated behind the magnetic trap are prevented from reaching the positive target. Consequently, a space charge double layer (DL) is formed between the positive target and the plasma behind the magnetic trap, leading to electron acceleration across the DL and RD ignition. This study reveals the significant impact of the magnetic field configuration on RD ignition. Experiments are performed using a Ti target involving magnetic field variation, wire probe measurements of floating potential, and optical emission spectroscopy imaging. It is found that adjusting the magnetic field to a more balanced configuration leads to earlier RD ignition, while a more unbalanced one delays or even prevents it. Specifically, the time of RD ignition decreases with an increase in the magnetic null point distance from the target. Moreover, the size and shape of optical emission in the RD varies with nearby probe placement, suggesting sensitivity to external electrodes.","PeriodicalId":20192,"journal":{"name":"Plasma Sources Science and Technology","volume":"17 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-06-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141501065","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Trends in mass utilization of a magnetically shielded Hall thruster operating on xenon and krypton","authors":"Leanne L Su, Thomas A Marks and Benjamin A Jorns","doi":"10.1088/1361-6595/ad52be","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1088/1361-6595/ad52be","url":null,"abstract":"The trends in mass utilization with increasing discharge voltage and current are investigated for a magnetically shielded Hall thruster operating on xenon and krypton. A 9 kW class shielded thruster is operated with discharge voltages from 300 to 600 V and discharge currents from 15 to 30 A on xenon and krypton. Experimental measurements of discharge current, thrust, anode efficiency, and ion velocity as a function of axial position are used to calibrate a multi-fluid 2D Hall thruster code at all operating conditions. The results of these calibrated simulations are employed to interrogate the plasma properties inside the thruster channel. A simplified 0D model for mass utilization evaluated on spatial averages of the simulated plasma parameters is employed to interpret the response of this efficiency mode with power for each propellant. It is found that with both higher voltage and current, mass utilization increases for both gases and their relative gap in this efficiency decreases. This can be attributed to the higher plasma densities and ionization rate coefficients at high voltage, and solely to higher plasma densities at high current. The driving factors for the increase in mass utilization are examined in the context of its nonlinear response to internal plasma properties. The behavior of mass utilization is also discussed in context of the gap in overall efficiency between the propellants. Finally, the implications of these results for improving the performance of high power Hall thrusters operating on krypton are examined.","PeriodicalId":20192,"journal":{"name":"Plasma Sources Science and Technology","volume":"33 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-06-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141501066","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}