Confinement of Microplasmas in Silicon Channels With Widths as Small as $< \hbox {5} \mu\hbox {m}$

Rare gas microplasmas confined in one dimension to <; 5 μm have been realized. Microchannels having cross sections in the form of a V-groove were fabricated in Si and microplasmas produced within the channels by means of a dielectric barrier structure in which electrodes are flush with the microgroove rim along the entire length of the channel. Stable uniform glows are generated in channels ~5 and 50 μm in width when a He/Ar or He/Ne gas mixture at a total pressure >; 400 torr is introduced to the channel. The requirement for Penning gas mixtures in the narrowest channel appears to be associated with an accelerated electron loss rate.