High-voltage nanosecond pulses in a low-pressure radio-frequency discharge

M. Y. Pustylnik, L. Hou, A. V. Ivlev, L. M. Vasilyak, L. Couëdel, H. M. Thomas, G. E. Morfill, and V. E. Fortov
Phys. Rev. E 87, 063105 – Published 10 June 2013

Abstract

An influence of a high-voltage (317 kV) 20 ns pulse on a weakly-ionized low-pressure (0.110 Pa) capacitively coupled radiofrequency (RF) argon plasma is studied experimentally. The plasma evolution after pulse exhibits two characteristic regimes: a bright flash, occurring within 100 ns after the pulse (when the discharge emission increases by 2–3 orders of magnitude over the steady-state level), and a dark phase, lasting a few hundreds μs (when the intensity of the discharge emission drops significantly below the steady-state level). The electron density increases during the flash and remains very large at the dark phase. 1D3V particle-in-cell simulations qualitatively reproduce both regimes and allow for detailed analysis of the underlying mechanisms. It is found that the high-voltage nanosecond pulse is capable of removing a significant fraction of plasma electrons out of the discharge gap, and that the flash is the result of the excitation of gas atoms, triggered by residual electrons accelerated in the electric field of immobile bulk ions. The secondary emission from the electrodes due to vacuum UV radiation plays an important role at this stage. High-density plasma generated during the flash provides efficient screening of the RF field (which sustains the steady-state plasma). This leads to the electron cooling and, hence, onset of the dark phase.

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  • Received 25 February 2013
  • Publisher error corrected 20 June 2013

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevE.87.063105

©2013 American Physical Society

Corrections

20 June 2013

Erratum

Publisher's Note: High-voltage nanosecond pulses in a low-pressure radio-frequency discharge [Phys. Rev. E 87, 063105 (2013)]

M. Y. Pustylnik, L. Hou, A. V. Ivlev, L. M. Vasilyak, L. Couëdel, H. M. Thomas, G. E. Morfill, and V. E. Fortov
Phys. Rev. E 87, 069906 (2013)

Authors & Affiliations

M. Y. Pustylnik1,*, L. Hou1, A. V. Ivlev1, L. M. Vasilyak2, L. Couëdel3, H. M. Thomas1, G. E. Morfill1, and V. E. Fortov2

  • 1Max-Planck-Institut für Extraterrestrische Physik, Giessenbachstrasse 1, 85741 Garching, Germany
  • 2Joint Institute for High Temperatures, Russian Academy of Sciences, Izhorskaya 13/19, 125412 Moscow, Russia
  • 3Laboratoire de Physique des Interactions Ioniques et Moléculaires, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Aix-Marseille-Université, 13397 Marseille Cedex 20, France

  • *pustylnik@mpe.mpg.de

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Vol. 87, Iss. 6 — June 2013

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