Electron-beam produced air plasma: optical and electrical observations

Summary form only given. A 100 keV electron beam source is used to generate plasma in air at pressures from 760 torr to 1 mtorr. Air with normal atmospheric constituents is used as a target gas. RF diagnostics are used to measure electron density with microsecond resolution during a 1-ms electron-beam pulse. Simultaneous phase and amplitude measurements provide a means of measuring electron concentration, electron momentum-transfer collision rate and inferring an electron temperature. Optical measurements of ozone production via a Whites cell absorption technique are discussed as well as N₂ ⁺ and N₄ ⁺ optical emissions. The N₂ ⁺ and N₄ ⁺ emissions provide a means of monitoring volumetric ionization and are included in the overall calibration of beam current passing through an aluminum transmission window that separates the vacuum of the electron source from the air-plasma test cell. RF techniques and current results will be discussed