Recent advances in the development of microplasma devices fabricated in a variety of materials systems (Si, ceramic multilayers, and metal/polymer structures) and configurations are reviewed. Arrays of microplasma emitters, having inverted pyramidal Si electrodes or produced in ceramic multilayer sandwiches with integrated ballasting for each pixel, have been demonstrated and arrays as large as 30×30 pixels are described. A new class of photodetectors, hybrid semiconductor/microplasma devices, is shown to exhibit photoresponsivities in the visible and near-infrared that are more than an order of magnitude larger than those typical of semiconductor avalanche photodiodes. Microdischarge devices having refractory or piezoelectric dielectric films such as Al 2 O 3 or BN have extended lifetimes (∼86% of initial radiant output after 100 h with an Al 2 O 3 dielectric) and controllable electrical characteristics. A segmented, linear array of microdischarges, fabricated in a ceramic multilayer structure and having an active length of ∼1 cm and a clear aperture of 80 × 360 µm 2 , exhibits evidence of gain on the 460.3 nm transition of Xe + , making it the first example of a microdischarge-driven optical amplifier.

No abstract

No abstract

No abstract

A linear, segmented channel, microdischarge array having an ∼80×380 μm2 aperture and an active length of ∼1 cm, has been fabricated in a ceramic multilayer structure and characterized in Ne, Ar, and Xe. The length of this seven-section device is more than an order of magnitude larger than those for previous arrays (2–3 elements) of coaxial microdischarge devices, and the discharge segments are individually ballasted with integrated thick-film resistors. Pulsed and cw operation of the array for Xe pressures as large as 700 Torr has been demonstrated and experimental indications of gain on the Xe+ 6p 4D3/20→6s 4P3/2 transition at 460.30 nm are presented. This device is well suited for the excitation of microlasers, either by electron impact pumping of gases and vapors, or by photoexcitation of solid state lasers in a slab geometry.