This paper presents a scheme for large volume plasma production using multiple highly portable compact ECR plasma sources (CEPS) (Ganguli et al 2016 Plasma Source Sci. Technol. 25 025026). The large volume plasma system (LVPS) described in the paper is a scalable, cylindrical vessel of diameter ≈1 m, consisting of source and spacer sections with multiple CEPS mounted symmetrically on the periphery of the source sections. Scaling is achieved by altering the number of source sections/the number of sources in a source section or changing the number of spacer sections for adjusting the spacing between the source sections. A series of plasma characterization experiments using argon gas were conducted on the LVPS under different configurations of CEPS, source and spacer sections, for an operating pressure in the range 0.5-20 mTorr, and a microwave power level in the range 400-500 W per source. Using Langmuir probes (LP), it was possible to show that the plasma density (~1 − 2 × 10 11 cm −3 ) remains fairly uniform inside the system and decreases marginally close to the chamber wall, and this uniformity increases with an increase in the number of sources. It was seen that a warm electron population (60-80 eV) is always present and is about 0.1% of the bulk plasma density. The mechanism of plasma production is discussed in light of the results obtained for a single CEPS (Ganguli et al 2016 Plasma Source Sci. Technol. 25 025026).
In the power-off phase, plasmas generated by repetitive short-pulse microwaves in a multicusp magnetic field show a transitive nature from interpulse to afterglow as a function of pulse duration tw = 20–200 μs. The ionized medium can be driven from a highly non equilibrium to an equilibrium state inside the pulses, thereby dictating the behavior of the plasma in the power-off phase. Compared to afterglows, interpulse plasmas observed for tw < 50 μs are characterized by a quasi-steady-state in electron density that persists for ∼ 20–40 μs even after the end of the pulse and has a relatively slower decay rate (∼ 4.3 × 104 s−1) of the electron temperature, as corroborated by optical measurements. The associated electron energy probability function indicates depletion in low energy electrons which appear at higher energies just after the end of the pulse. The transition occurs at tw ∼ 50 μs as confirmed by time evolution of integrated electron numbers densities obtained from the distribution function.
This paper presents a joint calibration scheme for voltage (V) and current (I) probes that helps accurately resolve the voltage–current phase differences even when the difference is very close to 90°. The latter has been a major issue with V–I probes when used with miniature RF plasma devices such as the atmospheric pressure plasma jet (APPJ). Since the impedance of such miniature devices is predominantly capacitive, the phase difference between the voltage and current signals is very nearly 90°. It turns out, however, that when V–I probes are used with such devices without joint calibration, these frequently yield phase shifts over 90°. Also, since the power absorption is proportional to the resistive part of the impedance, it becomes very sensitive to the phase difference when it is close to [Formula: see text]. Thus, it is important to be able to accurately resolve the phases. Post-calibration, V–I probes would be indispensable for the electrical characterization of APPJs for determining the average RF power P av, plasma impedance Z p, etc. Typical post-calibration V–I data yield Z p [Formula: see text] 93.6 − j 1139 Ω (81.5 − j 1173 Ω) at P av [Formula: see text] ([Formula: see text] for helium (argon) gas.
Performance of a microwave driven upper hybrid resonance multicusp plasma source as a volume negative ion source is reported. Microwaves are directly launched into the plasma chamber predominantly in the TE(11) mode. The source is operated at different discharge conditions to obtain the optimized negative H(-) ion current which is ∼33 μA (0.26 mA∕cm(2)). Particle balance equations are solved to estimate the negative ion density, which is compared with the experimental results. Future prospects of the source are discussed.
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