Plasma density in discharge sustained in inhomogeneous gas flow by high-power radiation in the terahertz frequency range
- Authors: Vodopyanov A.V.1, Glyavin M.Y.1, Golubev S.V.1, Luchinin A.G.1, Razin S.V.1, Safronova M.I.1, Sidorov A.V.1, Fokin A.P.1
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Affiliations:
- Institute of Applied Physics, Federal Research Center
- Issue: Vol 43, No 2 (2017)
- Pages: 186-189
- Section: Article
- URL: https://journals.rcsi.science/1063-7850/article/view/203422
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.1134/S1063785017020286
- ID: 203422
Cite item
Abstract
We have measured the density of plasma (electron concentration) in discharge maintained in inhomogeneous argon flow under the action of high-power pulsed radiation of gyrotron (frequency, 0.67 THz; power 40 kW; pulse duration, 20–30 μs) in a range of background gas pressures in the discharge chamber from 10–3 to 300 Torr. The electron concentration at low pressures (10–3 to 7 Torr) was determined using Starkeffect induced broadening of the Hα atomic emission line (656.3 nm) of hydrogen present in discharge as a small impurity in residual gases. The maximum observed Stark broadening of the Hα line corresponded to a plasma density on the order of 2 × 1016 cm–3, which exceeded the critical value for the given frequency of radiation sustaining the discharge. At background pressures above 7 Torr, the plasma density was estimated from analysis of the spatiotemporal patterns and waveforms of discharge glow in the visible spectral range. These estimations gave electron concentrations on the level of (1–2) × 1015 cm–3.
About the authors
A. V. Vodopyanov
Institute of Applied Physics, Federal Research Center
Email: sevraz@appl.sci-nnov.ru
Russian Federation, Nizhny Novgorod, 603950
M. Yu. Glyavin
Institute of Applied Physics, Federal Research Center
Email: sevraz@appl.sci-nnov.ru
Russian Federation, Nizhny Novgorod, 603950
S. V. Golubev
Institute of Applied Physics, Federal Research Center
Email: sevraz@appl.sci-nnov.ru
Russian Federation, Nizhny Novgorod, 603950
A. G. Luchinin
Institute of Applied Physics, Federal Research Center
Email: sevraz@appl.sci-nnov.ru
Russian Federation, Nizhny Novgorod, 603950
S. V. Razin
Institute of Applied Physics, Federal Research Center
Author for correspondence.
Email: sevraz@appl.sci-nnov.ru
Russian Federation, Nizhny Novgorod, 603950
M. I. Safronova
Institute of Applied Physics, Federal Research Center
Email: sevraz@appl.sci-nnov.ru
Russian Federation, Nizhny Novgorod, 603950
A. V. Sidorov
Institute of Applied Physics, Federal Research Center
Email: sevraz@appl.sci-nnov.ru
Russian Federation, Nizhny Novgorod, 603950
A. P. Fokin
Institute of Applied Physics, Federal Research Center
Email: sevraz@appl.sci-nnov.ru
Russian Federation, Nizhny Novgorod, 603950