The effects of in-elastic processes on electron temperature in electron beam generated plasmas

Author

Boris, D.R. ; Petrov, G.M. ; Lock, E.H. ; Petrova, Tz B. ; Fernsler, R.F. ; Walton, S.G.

Author_Institution

Plasma Phys. Div., Naval Res. Lab., Washington, DC, USA

fYear

2014

fDate

25-29 May 2014

Firstpage

1

Lastpage

1

Abstract

Summary form only given. Electron beam generated plasmas have a variety of unique features that make them distinctive plasma sources for materials processing. In these plasmas the electron beam rather than an applied electric field is the energy source that drives ionization resulting in inherently low electron temperatures (0.2-1 eV). This work will focus on the role that trace ad-mixtures of molecular gas play in controlling kT_e in electron beam generated plasmas. Mixtures of Ar/N₂ and Ar/SF₆ are examined with attention paid to changes in the electron energy distribution function (EEDF) resulting from vibrational cooling (Ar/N₂) and electron attachment (Ar/SF₆) and how those changes in the EEDF influence plasma characteristics.

Keywords

argon; electron beams; gas mixtures; nitrogen; plasma sources; plasma temperature; sulphur compounds; Ar-N₂; Ar-SF₆; argon-nitrogen mixtures; distinctive plasma sources; electric field; electron attachment; electron beam generated plasmas; electron energy distribution function; electron temperature; electron volt energy 0.2 eV to 1 eV; energy source; in-elastic process effects; ionization; material processing; molecular gas; sulfur hexaflouride; vibrational cooling; Electron beams; Laboratories; Plasma sources; Plasma temperature; Sulfur hexafluoride;

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

Conference_Titel

Plasma Sciences (ICOPS) held with 2014 IEEE International Conference on High-Power Particle Beams (BEAMS), 2014 IEEE 41st International Conference on

Conference_Location

Washington, DC

Print_ISBN

978-1-4799-2711-1

Type

conf

DOI

10.1109/PLASMA.2014.7012228

Filename

7012228