Growth of metal nanoparticles in hydrocarbon atmosphere of arc discharge.

A direct current (DC) arc discharge is a widely used method for large-scale production of metal nanoparticles, core-shell particles, and carbon nanotubes. Here, the growth of iron nanoparticles is explored in a modified DC arc discharge. Iron particles are produced by the evaporation of an anode, made from low-carbon steel. Methane admixture into argon gas serves as a carbon source. Electron microscopy and elemental analysis suggest that methane and/or products of its decomposition adhere to iron clusters forming a carbon shell, which inhibits iron particle growth until its full encapsulation, at which point the iron core growth is ceased. Experimental observations are explained using an aerosol growth model. The results demonstrate the path to manipulate metal particle size in a hydrocarbon arc environment.

A confocal laser-induced fluorescence diagnostic with an annular laser beam.

In this work, we report an annular beam confocal laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) configuration, which allows for high spatial resolution measurements of plasma properties in plasma setups and sources with limited optical access. The proposed LIF configuration utilizes the annular laser beam generated by a pair of diffractive axicons. The LIF signal is collected along the main optical axis within the ring region. It is shown experimentally that at a focal distance of 300 mm, a spatial resolution of ∼5.3 mm can be achieved. Using geometric optics estimations, we showed that ∼1 mm resolution at the same focal distance could potentially be achieved by modifying laser beam parameters. This approaches the localization accuracy of conventional LIF collection methods (with crossing laser beam injection and fluorescence collection optical paths). Measurements of the ion velocity distribution function in an argon plasma using both the confocal LIF with an annular laser beam and conventional LIF demonstrate a satisfactory agreement. The proposed LIF setup has potential applications for diagnostics in various plasma processing equipment and plasma sources, such as hollow cathodes, microplasmas, electric propulsion, etc.

Growth of nanoparticles in dynamic plasma.

Coagulation growth kinetics of nanoparticles in plasma is affected by interparticle electrostatic forces due to the charging phenomenon. In stationary plasmas, unipolar charging of particles results in retardation of particle growth and may result in a limitation on particle size. We demonstrate the opposite effect of enhanced particle growth in atmospheric pressure nonstationary arc discharge. Modeling of the nanoparticle growth kinetics reveals the formation of a bipolar charge distribution. As a result, reversed (attractive) Coulomb forces promote the formation of micrometer-size particles in a millisecond timescale as observed in experiment.

Fast sweeping probe system for characterization of spokes in E × B discharges.

We have developed a rapidly swept, back-to-back 100 kHz Langmuir probe system using a tunable compensating network to study the temporal evolution of low frequency oscillations in Penning discharges, Hall Thrusters, and other E × B discharges. Experimental validation of the probe system is performed at low and high sweeping frequencies in a stable Penning discharge. Then application of the probe system to measurements of plasma parameter fluctuations in a low frequency (4 kHz) rotating spoke and an analysis method using the Hilbert transform are shown. We find that the rotating spoke oscillation conducts approximately a third of the cross field current in our Penning device.

Time-resolved ion velocity distribution in a cylindrical Hall thruster: heterodyne-based experiment and modeling.

Time-resolved variations of the ion velocity distribution function (IVDF) are measured in the cylindrical Hall thruster using a novel heterodyne method based on the laser-induced fluorescence technique. This method consists in inducing modulations of the discharge plasma at frequencies that enable the coupling to the breathing mode. Using a harmonic decomposition of the IVDF, one can extract each harmonic component of the IVDF from which the time-resolved IVDF is reconstructed. In addition, simulations have been performed assuming a sloshing of the IVDF during the modulation that show agreement between the simulated and measured first order perturbation of the IVDF.

Sheath-induced instabilities in plasmas with E0×B0 drift.

It is shown that ion acoustic waves in plasmas with E0×B0 electron drift become unstable due to the closure of plasma current in the chamber wall. Such unstable modes may enhance both near-wall conductivity and turbulent electron transport in plasma devices with E0×B0 electron drift and unmagnetized ions. It is shown that the instability is sensitive to the wall material: a high value of the dielectric permittivity (such as in metal walls) reduces the mode growth rate by an order of magnitude but does not eliminate the instability completely.

Kinetic theory of plasma sheaths surrounding electron-emitting surfaces.

A one-dimensional kinetic theory of sheaths surrounding planar, electron-emitting surfaces is presented which accounts for plasma electrons lost to the surface and the temperature of the emitted electrons. It is shown that ratio of plasma electron temperature to emitted electron temperature significantly affects the sheath potential when the plasma electron temperature is within an order of magnitude of the emitted electron temperature. The sheath potential goes to zero as the plasma electron temperature equals the emitted electron temperature, which can occur in the afterglow of an rf plasma and some low-temperature plasma sources. These results were validated by particle in cell simulations. The theory was tested by making measurements of the sheath surrounding a thermionically emitting cathode in the afterglow of an rf plasma. The measured sheath potential shrunk to zero as the plasma electron temperature cooled to the emitted electron temperature, as predicted by the theory.

Magnetically insulated baffled probe for real-time monitoring of equilibrium and fluctuating values of space potentials, electron and ion temperatures, and densities.

By restricting the electron-collection area of a cold Langmuir probe compared to the ion-collection area, the probe floating potential can become equal to the space potential, and thus conveniently monitored, rather than to a value shifted from the space potential by an electron-temperature-dependent offset, i.e., the case with an equal-collection-area probe. This design goal is achieved by combining an ambient magnetic field in the plasma with baffles, or shields, on the probe, resulting in species-selective magnetic insulation of the probe collection area. This permits the elimination of electron current to the probe by further adjustment of magnetic insulation which results in an ion-temperature-dependent offset when the probe is electrically floating. Subtracting the floating potential of two magnetically insulated baffled probes, each with a different degree of magnetic insulation, enables the electron or ion temperature to be measured in real time.

Single-step synthesis and magnetic separation of graphene and carbon nanotubes in arc discharge plasmas.

The unique properties of graphene and carbon nanotubes made them the most promising nanomaterials attracting enormous attention, due to the prospects for applications in various nanodevices, from nanoelectronics to sensors and energy conversion devices. Here we report on a novel deterministic, single-step approach to simultaneous production and magnetic separation of graphene flakes and carbon nanotubes in an arc discharge by splitting the high-temperature growth and low-temperature separation zones using a non-uniform magnetic field and tailor-designed catalyst alloy, and depositing nanotubes and graphene in different areas. Our results are very relevant to the development of commercially-viable, single-step production of bulk amounts of high-quality graphene.

Ignition and temperature behavior of a single-wall carbon nanotube sample.

The electrical resistance of mats of single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) is measured as a function of mat temperature under various helium pressures, in vacuum and in atmospheric air. The objective of this paper is to study the thermal stability of SWNTs produced in a helium arc discharge in the experimental conditions close to natural conditions of SWNT growth in an arc, using a furnace instead of an arc discharge. For each tested condition, there is a temperature threshold at which the mat's resistance reaches its minimum. The threshold value depends on the helium pressure. An increase of the temperature above the temperature threshold leads to the destruction of SWNT bundles at a certain critical temperature. For instance, the critical temperature is about 1100 K in the case of helium background at a pressure of about 500 Torr. Based on experimental data on critical temperature it is suggested that SWNTs produced by an anodic arc discharge and collected in the web area outside the arc plasma most likely originate from the arc discharge peripheral region.

Breakdown of a space charge limited regime of a sheath in a weakly collisional plasma bounded by walls with secondary electron emission.

A new regime of plasma-wall interaction is identified in particle-in-cell simulations of a hot plasma bounded by walls with secondary electron emission. Such a plasma has a strongly non-Maxwellian electron velocity distribution function and consists of bulk plasma electrons and beams of secondary electrons. In the new regime, the plasma sheath is not in a steady space charge limited state even though the secondary electron emission produced by the plasma bulk electrons is so intense that the corresponding partial emission coefficient exceeds unity. Instead, the plasma-sheath system performs relaxation oscillations by switching quasiperiodically between the space charge limited and non-space-charge limited states.

Modeling of the anodic arc discharge and conditions for single-wall carbon nanotube growth.

A model of the arc discharge used for a single wall carbon nanotube (SWNT) synthesis is developed. Coupling solution of the non-equilibrium, Knudsen layer, with hydrodynamic layer and discharge column provides self-consistent solution for the ablation rate and plasma parameter distribution. It is predicted that the interelectrode gap decreases with the background pressure increase. Conditions for single wall carbon nanotube formation in the arc discharge method of nanotube synthesis are described. Carbon nanotube seed formation and charging in the interelectrode gap are found to be very important effects that may alter carbon nanotube formation in the cathode region. This model predicts that the long carbon nanotubes in the high pressure Helium environment can be deposited on the cathode surface. Model predictions are found to be in agreement with experiment.