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High Temperature Material Processes (An International Quarterly of High-Technology Plasma Processes)

An International Journal

ISSN for PRINT: 1093-3611

Institutional price:	$604.00
Issues per year:	4

Best Paper Award Selection - Editorial Board Site

2004, Volume8

169 pages

DOI: 10.1615/HighTempMatProc.v8.i4

Issue price - $144.00

SPECTROSCOPIC STUDY OF A HELIUM MICROWAVE DISCHARGE PRODUCED BY THE AXIAL INJECTION TORCH

Antonio Rodero
Departamento de Fisica, Universidad de Cordoba, E-14071 Cordoba, Spain

R. Alvarez
Departamento de Fisica, Universidad de Cordoba, Campus de Rabanales, C-2, E-14071 Cordoba, Spain

M.C. Quintero
Departamento de Fisica, Universidad de Cordoba, Campus de Rabanales, C-2, E-14071 Cordoba, Spain

A. Sola
Departamento de Fisica Aplicada, Universidad de Cordoba, 14071 Cordoba, Spain

A. Gamero
Departamento de Fisica Aplicada, Universidad de Cordoba, 14071 Cordoba, Spain

ABSTRACT

This work shows the experimental characterization of a helium atmospheric pressure microwave plasma produced by the Axial Injection Torch (TIA design) at 2.45 GHz. The axial and radial description of the discharge is made under different microwave power and gas flow-rate conditions. For that, the electron and gas temperature and the electron density are determined by using optical spectroscopic diagnostics. The flame produced by the TIA is a non-thermal plasma, which is characterized by electrons with kinetic energies that are much higher than those of the ions, atoms or molecules. Since features of departure from Saha-Boltzmann equilibrium are detected, the possible deviation from equilibrium has been taken into account in order to interpret the results correctly. Specifically, spectroscopic measurements combined with theoretical results obtained by a collisional radiative model were used to determine the radial distribution of the electron temperature and electron density in the flame. As the TIA produces a free expanding plasma, species from the surrounding air enter the discharge. Therefore, a preliminary study of the role of the molecules incoming in the plasma is presented.