Time-resolved measurements of electron density in nanosecond pulsed plasmas using microwave scattering. (30th July 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Wang, Xingxing; Stockett, Paul; Jagannath, Ravichandra; Bane, Sally; Shashurin, Alexey
• Is Part Of: Plasma sources science & technology. Volume 27:Number 7(2018:Jul.)
• Publication Date: 2018-07-30
• Subjects: nanosecond repetitive pulses -- microwave scattering -- electron number density -- non-equilibrium plasma; Plasma (Ionized gases) -- Periodicals; 530.44
• DOI: 10.1088/1361-6595/aacc06
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0963-0252

Abstract

Abstract: In this work, microwave scattering was utilized to measure the electron number density produced in a nanosecond-long high-voltage breakdown of air between two electrodes in a pin-to-pin configuration. The approach allows tracing the absolute electron number in the plasma volume during the high-voltage pulse and the plasma decay for wide range of plasma and discharge parameters. Electron number density decayed on the timescale of about several μ s governed by plasma-chemical processes including dissociative recombination, three-body attachment and formation of cluster ions.