Abstract
Atmospheric argon microplasmas driven by 1.0 GHz power were studied by microwave circuit analyses and spatially-resolved optical diagnostics. These studies illuminate the mechanisms responsible for microplasma stability. A split-ring resonator (SRR) microplasma source is demonstrated to reflect excess microwave power, preventing the ionization overheating instability while limiting electron density to approximately 1 × 1014 cm−3 and OH rotational temperature to 760 K at 0.76 W. Providing the SRR microplasma with an electrical path to ground, however, allows the microplasma to transition from the SRR mode to the so-called transmission line mode (T-line). This transition is due to matching of the microplasma and transmission line impedances. The higher power T-line mode supports a more intense microplasma with electron density of 1 × 1015 cm−3 and OH rotational temperature of 1480 K with 15 W absorbed power. While the SRR mode is optimized for ignition and sustaining a stable nonequilibrium plasma, and T-line mode is better suited for driving a hot, high density microplasma. The estimated microwave discharge voltages were 15 V and 35 V in SRR mode and T-line mode, respectively, and the voltages are rather independent of input power. Microplasma stability is due to a combination of impedance mismatching and direct control of power, both inherent to microwave circuitry.
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Miura, N., Hopwood, J. Instability control in microwave-frequency microplasma. Eur. Phys. J. D 66, 143 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1140/epjd/e2012-20739-7
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1140/epjd/e2012-20739-7