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Sont listées ci-dessous, par année, les publications figurant dans l'archive ouverte HAL.

2014

  • Mars-Solar Wind Interaction: Coupling Between Hybrid, Ionospheric, Thermospheric and Exospheric Models
    • Leblanc François
    • Chaufray Jean-Yves
    • Modolo Ronan
    • Hess Sebastien
    • Yagi M.
    • Mancini M.
    • Forget François
    • Gonzalez-Galindo Francisco
    • Lorenzato L.
    • Mazelle Christian
    • Chanteur Gérard
    , 2014. The solar wind interaction with the Martian neutral envi- ronment is investigated by means of three dimensional hybrid magnetospheric simulations. In such formal- ism, ions have a kinetic description while electrons are treated as an inertialess fluid, ensuring the neutrality of the plasma and contributing to currents and pressure terms. This model has been successfully used to de- scribe the near ionized environment of Mars
  • Experimental and numerical study of fast gas heating and O atom production in a capillary nanosecond discharge
    • Klochko A.V.
    • Salmon A.
    • Lemainque J.
    • Popov N.A.
    • Booth Jean-Paul
    • Xiong Z.
    • Kushner M.J.
    • Starikovskaia Svetlana
    , 2014, pp.2014-1030.
  • Ignition of CH4:O2:Ar and n-C4H10:O2:Ar(N2) mixtures with initial temperatures between 650-950 K by a surface pulsed discharge
    • Stepanyan S.A.
    • Boumehdi M.A.
    • Vanhove G.
    • Desgroux Pascale
    • Starikovskaia Svetlana
    • Popov N.A.
    , 2014. (10.2514/6.2014-0665)
    DOI : 10.2514/6.2014-0665
  • Adsorption, desorption and reactivity of O and N atoms on SiO2 surface
    • Rousseau Antoine
    , 2014.
  • New ferromagnetic core shapes for induction sensors
    • Coillot Christophe
    • Moutoussamy Joël
    • Boda Mathieu
    • Leroy Paul
    Journal of Sensors and Sensor Systems, Copernicus Publ, 2014, pp.1-8. Induction sensors are used in a wide range of scientific and industrial applications. One way to improve these is rigorous modelling of the sensor combined with a low voltage and current input noise preamplifier aiming to optimize the whole induction magnetometer. In this paper, we explore another way, which consists in the use of original ferromagnetic core shapes of induction sensors, which bring substantial improvements. These new configurations are the cubic, orthogonal and coiled-core induction sensors. For each of them we give modelling elements and discuss their benefits and drawbacks with respect to a given noise-equivalent magnetic induction goal. Our discussion is supported by experimental results for the cubic and orthogonal configurations, while the coiled-core configuration remains open to experimental validation. The transposition of these induction sensor configurations to other magnetic sensors (fluxgate and giant magneto-impedance) is an exciting prospect of this work. (10.5194/jsss-3-1-2014)
    DOI : 10.5194/jsss-3-1-2014
  • BV technique for investigating 1-D interfaces
    • Dorville Nicolas
    • Belmont Gérard
    • Rezeau Laurence
    • Aunai Nicolas
    • Retinò Alessandro
    Journal of Geophysical Research Space Physics, American Geophysical Union/Wiley, 2014, 119, pp.1709-1720. To investigate the internal structure of the magnetopause with spacecraft data, it is crucial to be able to determine its normal direction and to convert the measured time series into spatial profiles. We propose here a new single-spacecraft method, called the BV method, to reach these two objectives. Its name indicates that the method uses a combination of the magnetic field (B) and velocity (V) data. The method is tested on simulation and on Cluster data, and a short overview of the possible products is given. We discuss its assumptions and show that it can bring a valuable improvement with respect to previous methods. (10.1002/2013JA018926)
    DOI : 10.1002/2013JA018926
  • Kinetic simulations of electric field structure within magnetic island during magnetic reconnection and their applications to the satellite observations
    • Huang S. Y.
    • Zhou M.
    • Yuan Z. G.
    • Deng X. H.
    • Sahraoui Fouad
    • Pang Y.
    • Fu S. Y.
    Journal of Geophysical Research Space Physics, American Geophysical Union/Wiley, 2014, 119, pp.7402-7412. islands are considered to play a crucial role in collisionless magnetic reconnection. We use particle-in-cell simulations to investigate electric field E<SUB>z</SUB> structure in the magnetic islands (including primary and secondary islands) with and without a guide field during magnetic reconnection. It is found that the electric field has multilayers in the primary island and a large bipolar structure in the secondary island in the absence of guide field. The electric field is provided by the Hall term (J × B)<SUB>z</SUB> (mainly), the divergence of electron pressure tensor, and the convective term (V<SUB>i</SUB> × B)<SUB>z</SUB> in the outer and the inner region of primary island, while the electric field is much smaller (~0) in the middle and the core region of primary island due to the cancelation of the three terms. The single bipolar electric field is primarily provided by the Hall term in the secondary island. In the presence of a guide field, the electric field has multiple layers in the primary island (similar to zero guide field case) and the secondary island. However, there still exists one single large sharp bipolar structure of electric field in the central region of the secondary island. The differences of electric field in the primary and secondary islands are essentially due to the variations of the current J<SUB>y</SUB>. These features can be used as the observational criteria to identify different types of magnetic islands in the magnetosphere using the data of future mission, such as the Magnetospheric Multiscale mission. (10.1002/2014JA020054)
    DOI : 10.1002/2014JA020054
  • Magnetic clouds' structure in the magnetosheath as observed by Cluster and Geotail: four case studies
    • Turc Lucile
    • Fontaine Dominique
    • Savoini Philippe
    • Kilpua E. K. J.
    Annales Geophysicae, European Geosciences Union, 2014, 32, pp.1247-1261. Magnetic clouds (MCs) are large-scale magnetic flux ropes ejected from the Sun into the interplanetary space. They play a central role in solar-terrestrial relations as they can efficiently drive magnetic activity in the near-Earth environment. Their impact on the Earth's magnetosphere is often attributed to the presence of southward magnetic fields inside the MC, as observed in the upstream solar wind. However, when they arrive in the vicinity of the Earth, MCs first encounter the bow shock, which is expected to modify their properties, including their magnetic field strength and direction. If these changes are significant, they can in turn affect the interaction of the MC with the magnetosphere. In this paper, we use data from the Cluster and Geotail spacecraft inside the magnetosheath and from the Advanced Composition Explorer (ACE) upstream of the Earth's environment to investigate the impact of the bow shock's crossing on the magnetic structure of MCs. Through four example MCs, we show that the evolution of the MC's structure from the solar wind to the magnetosheath differs largely from one event to another. The smooth rotation of the MC can either be preserved inside the magnetosheath, be modified, i.e. the magnetic field still rotates slowly but at different angles, or even disappear. The alteration of the magnetic field orientation across the bow shock can vary with time during the MC's passage and with the location inside the magnetosheath. We examine the conditions encountered at the bow shock from direct observations, when Cluster or Geotail cross it, or indirectly by applying a magnetosheath model. We obtain a good agreement between the observed and modelled magnetic field direction and shock configuration, which varies from quasi-perpendicular to quasi-parallel in our study. We find that the variations in the angle between the magnetic fields in the solar wind and in the magnetosheath are anti-correlated with the variations in the shock obliquity. When the shock is in a quasi-parallel regime, the magnetic field direction varies significantly from the solar wind to the magnetosheath. In such cases, the magnetic field reaching the magnetopause cannot be approximated by the upstream magnetic field. Therefore, it is important to take into account the conditions at the bow shock when estimating the impact of an MC with the Earth's environment because these conditions are crucial in determining the magnetosheath magnetic field, which then interacts with the magnetosphere. (10.5194/angeo-32-1247-2014)
    DOI : 10.5194/angeo-32-1247-2014
  • NO oxidation on plasma pretreated Pyrex: the case for a distribution of reactivity of adsorbed O atoms
    • Guerra V.
    • Marinov Daniil
    • Guaitella Olivier
    • Rousseau Antoine
    Journal of Physics D: Applied Physics, IOP Publishing, 2014, 47 (22), pp.224012. The formation of NO 2 molecules on a Pyrex surface, as a result of NO oxidation by adsorbed O atoms on the wall, is experimentally demonstrated and quantified. The measurements reveal that the characteristic times of heterogeneous NO 2 production and NO gas phase decay change from ?60 to ?1500 s as the gas phase concentration of NO introduced in a tube pretreated with an oxygen radiofrequency discharge increases from 10 13 to 10 15 cm ?3 . Moreover, a clear variation of the characteristic loss frequency of NO molecules when small amounts of NO are successively injected in the tube is detected, between ?7 × 10 ?2 and ?5 × 10 ?3 s ?1 . The complex surface kinetics observed is studied and interpreted with the help of a mesoscopic surface model accounting for Eley?Rideal NO oxidation and slow NO 2 adsorption, confirming the existence of adsorption sites possessing a distribution of reactivity on the surface. (10.1088/0022-3727/47/22/224012)
    DOI : 10.1088/0022-3727/47/22/224012
  • Compact hohlraum configuration with parallel planar-wire-array x-ray sources at the 1.7-MA Zebra generator
    • Vesey R. A.
    • Kantsyrev Viktor L.
    • Chuvatin Alexandre S.
    • Rudakov Leonid I.
    • Velikovich A. L.
    • Shreshta I. K.
    • Esaulov A. A.
    • Safronova Alla S.
    • Shlyaptseva V. V.
    • Osborne Glenn C.
    • Astanovitsky A. L.
    • Weller Michael E.
    • Stafford A.
    • Schultz K. A.
    • Cooper M. C.
    • Cuneo Michael E.
    • Jones B.
    Physical Review E, American Physical Society (APS), 2014, 90 (6), pp.063101. A compact Z-pinch x-ray hohlraum design with parallel-driven x-ray sources is experimentally demonstrated in a configuration with a central target and tailored shine shields at a 1.7-MA Zebra generator. Driving in parallel two magnetically decoupled compact double-planar-wire Z pinches has demonstrated the generation of synchronized x-ray bursts that correlated well in time with x-ray emission from a central reemission target. Good agreement between simulated and measured hohlraum radiation temperature of the central target is shown. The advantages of compact hohlraum design applications for multi-MA facilities are discussed. (10.1103/PhysRevE.90.063101)
    DOI : 10.1103/PhysRevE.90.063101
  • Langmuir probe analysis in electronegative plasmas
    • Bredin Jérôme
    • Chabert Pascal
    • Aanesland Ane
    Physics of Plasmas, American Institute of Physics, 2014, 21 (12), pp.123502. This paper compares two methods to analyze Langmuir probe data obtained in electronegative plasmas. The techniques are developed to allow investigations in plasmas, where the electronegativity &#945;0&#8201;=&#8201;n/ne (the ratio between the negative ion and electron densities) varies strongly. The first technique uses an analytical model to express the Langmuir probe current-voltage (I-V) characteristic and its second derivative as a function of the electron and ion densities (ne, n , n), temperatures (Te, T , T), and masses (me, m , m). The analytical curves are fitted to the experimental data by adjusting these variables and parameters. To reduce the number of fitted parameters, the ion masses are assumed constant within the source volume, and quasi-neutrality is assumed everywhere. In this theory, Maxwellian distributions are assumed for all charged species. We show that this data analysis can predict the various plasma parameters within 510%, including the ion temperatures when &#945;0&#8201;>&#8201;100. However, the method is tedious, time consuming, and requires a precise measurement of the energy distribution function. A second technique is therefore developed for easier access to the electron and ion densities, but does not give access to the ion temperatures. Here, only the measured I-V characteristic is needed. The electron density, temperature, and ion saturation current for positive ions are determined by classical probe techniques. The electronegativity &#945;0 and the ion densities are deduced via an iterative method since these variables are coupled via the modified Bohm velocity. For both techniques, a Child-Law sheath model for cylindrical probes has been developed and is presented to emphasize the importance of this model for small cylindrical Langmuir probes. (10.1063/1.4903328)
    DOI : 10.1063/1.4903328
  • Radio-frequency capacitively coupled plasmas in hydrogen excited by tailored voltage waveforms: comparison of simulations with experiments
    • Diomede P.
    • Economou D. J.
    • Lafleur Trevor
    • Booth Jean-Paul
    • Longo S.
    Plasma Sources Science and Technology, IOP Publishing, 2014, 23 (6), pp.065049. A combined computational-experimental study was performed of a geometrically symmetric capacitively coupled plasma in hydrogen sustained by tailored voltage waveforms consisting of the sum of up to three harmonics. Predictions of a particle-in-cell with Monte Carlo collisions/fluid hybrid model were in reasonably good agreement compared to data from an array of experimental plasma diagnostics. The plasma was electrically asymmetric, with a dc self-bias developed, for all but a sinusoidal voltage waveform. Hydrogen ions (H<SUP> </SUP>,H <SUP> </SUP><SUB>2</SUB>,H <SUP> </SUP><SUB>3</SUB>) bombarding the electrodes exhibited different ion flux-distribution functions due to their different masses and collisionality in the sheath. Plasma density, ion flux and absolute value of the dc self-bias all increased with increasing the number of harmonics. The energy of ions bombarding the substrate electrode may be controlled by switching the applied voltage waveform from (positive) peaks to (negative) valleys. (10.1088/0963-0252/23/6/065049)
    DOI : 10.1088/0963-0252/23/6/065049
  • Electron transport parameters in NF<SUB>3</SUB>
    • Lisovskiy V. A.
    • Yegorenkov V. D.
    • Ogloblina P.
    • Booth Jean-Paul
    • Martins S.
    • Landry K.
    • Douai D.
    • Cassagne V.
    Journal of Physics D: Applied Physics, IOP Publishing, 2014, 47 (11), pp.115203. We present electron transport parameters (the first Townsend coefficient, the dissociative attachment coefficient, the fraction of electron energy lost by collisions with NF 3 molecules, the average and characteristic electron energy, the electron mobility and the drift velocity) in NF 3 gas calculated from published elastic and inelastic electron?NF 3 collision cross-sections using the BOLSIG code. Calculations were performed for the combined RB (Rescigno 1995 Phys. Rev. E 52 [http://dx.doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevA.52.329] 329 , Boesten et al 1996 J. Phys. B: At. Mol. Opt. Phys. 29 [http://dx.doi.org/10.1088/0953-4075/29/22/022] 5475 ) momentum-transfer cross-section, as well as for the JB (Joucoski and Bettega 2002 J. Phys. B: At. Mol. Opt. Phys. 35 [http://dx.doi.org/10.1088/0953-4075/35/4/303] 783 ) momentum-transfer cross-section. In addition, we have measured the radio frequency (rf) breakdown curves for various inter-electrode gaps and rfs, and from these we have determined the electron drift velocity in NF 3 from the location of the turning point in these curves. These drift velocity values are in satisfactory agreement with those calculated by the BOLSIG code employing the JB momentum-transfer cross-section. (10.1088/0022-3727/47/11/115203)
    DOI : 10.1088/0022-3727/47/11/115203
  • Evidence of magnetic reconnection from wave measurements at Saturn's magnetopause: Cassini RPWS observations
    • Retinò Alessandro
    • Masters A.
    • Vaivads A.
    • Khotyaintsev Y. V.
    • Fujimoto M.
    • Kasahara S.
    • Badman S. V.
    • Canu Patrick
    • Chust Thomas
    • Modolo Ronan
    • Gurnett D. A.
    • Dougherty M. K.
    , 2014, 9, pp.EPSC2014-802. Magnetic reconnection is a universal mechanism that is responsible for major energy conversion in planetary magnetospheres. Recent theoretical estimations suggest that reconnection is infrequent at Saturn's magnetopause and that it is not a major driver of the dynamics of the kronian magnetosphere. This scenario need however to be confirmed by in situ observations at the magnetopause current sheet. Evidence of reconnection in the form of accelerated plasma jets is difficult at Saturn's magnetopause due to limitations in the field of view of particle detectors. Here we show evidence of reconnection for one magnetopause event by using measurements of low frequency waves (lower-hybrid, whistlers, plasma/upper hybrid). We discuss how wave measurements can be used as evidence of reconnection in planetary magnetospheres.
  • Outflow and plasma acceleration in Titan's induced magnetotail: Evidence of magnetic tension forces
    • Romanelli N.
    • Modolo Ronan
    • Dubinin E.
    • Berthelier Jean-Jacques
    • Bertucci C.
    • Wahlund J. E.
    • Leblanc François
    • Canu Patrick
    • Edberg Niklas Jt
    • Waite H.
    • Kurth W. S.
    • Gurnett D.
    • Coates A.
    • Dougherty M.
    Journal of Geophysical Research Space Physics, American Geophysical Union/Wiley, 2014, 119 (12), pp.9992–10005. Cassini plasma wave and particle observations are combined with magnetometer measurements to study Titan's induced magnetic tail. In this study, we report and analyze the plasma acceleration in Titan's induced magnetotail observed in flybys T17, T19 and T40. Radio and Plasma Wave Science (RPWS) observations show regions of cold plasma with electron densities between 0.1 and a few tens of electrons per cubic centimeter. The Cassini Plasma Spectrometer-Ion Mass Spectrometer (CAPS-IMS) measurements suggest that ionospheric plasma in this region is composed of ions with masses ranging from 15 to 17 amu and from 28 to 31 amu. From these measurements, we determine the bulk velocity of the plasma and the Alfvén velocity in Titan's tail region. Finally, a Walén test of such measurements suggest that the progressive acceleration of the ionospheric plasma shown by CAPS can be interpreted in terms of magnetic tension forces. (10.1002/2014JA020391)
    DOI : 10.1002/2014JA020391
  • A model of the magnetosheath magnetic field during magnetic clouds
    • Turc Lucile
    • Fontaine Dominique
    • Savoini Philippe
    • Kilpua E.K.J.
    Annales Geophysicae, European Geosciences Union, 2014, 32 (2), pp.157-173. Magnetic clouds (MCs) are huge interplanetary structures which originate from the Sun and have a paramount importance in driving magnetospheric storms. Before reaching the magnetosphere, MCs interact with the Earth's bow shock. This may alter their structure and therefore modify their expected geoeffectivity. We develop a simple 3-D model of the magnetosheath adapted to MCs conditions. This model is the first to describe the interaction of MCs with the bow shock and their propagation inside the magnetosheath. We find that when the MC encounters the Earth centrally and with its axis perpendicular to the Sun–Earth line, the MC's magnetic structure remains mostly unchanged from the solar wind to the magnetosheath. In this case, the entire dayside magnetosheath is located downstream of a quasi-perpendicular bow shock. When the MC is encountered far from its centre, or when its axis has a large tilt towards the ecliptic plane, the MC's structure downstream of the bow shock differs significantly from that upstream. Moreover, the MC's structure also differs from one region of the magnetosheath to another and these differences vary with time and space as the MC passes by. In these cases, the bow shock configuration is mainly quasi-parallel. Strong magnetic field asymmetries arise in the mag-netosheath; the sign of the magnetic field north–south component may change from the solar wind to some parts of the magnetosheath. We stress the importance of the B x component. We estimate the regions where the magnetosheath and magnetospheric magnetic fields are anti-parallel at the mag-netopause (i.e. favourable to reconnection). We find that the location of anti-parallel fields varies with time as the MCs move past Earth's environment, and that they may be situated near the subsolar region even for an initially northward magnetic field upstream of the bow shock. Our results point out the major role played by the bow shock configuration in modifying or keeping the structure of the MCs unchanged. Note that this model is not restricted to MCs, it can be used to describe the magnetosheath magnetic field under an arbitrary slowly varying interplanetary magnetic field. (10.5194/angeo-32-157-2014)
    DOI : 10.5194/angeo-32-157-2014
  • Investigation of drift velocity effects on the EDGE and SOL transport.
    • Leybros Robin
    • Bufferand H.
    • Ciraolo G.
    • Fedorczak N.
    • Ghendrih Ph.
    • Hennequin Pascale
    • Marandet Y.
    • Serre E.
    • Schwander F.
    • Tamain P.
    , 2014.
  • Plasma composition and ion acceleration in the PEGASES thruster
    • Renaud D.
    • Mazouffre S.
    • Aanesland Ane
    Space Propulsion, 2014 (2969109).
  • Ionospheric disturbance dynamo associated to a coronal hole: Case study of 5-10 April 2010
    • Fathy Ibrahim
    • Amory-Mazaudier Christine
    • Fathy A.
    • Mahrous A. M.
    • Yumoto K.
    • Ghamry E.
    Journal of Geophysical Research Space Physics, American Geophysical Union/Wiley, 2014, 119 (5), pp.4120–4133. In this paper we study the planetary magnetic disturbance during the magnetic storm occurring on 5 April 2010 associated with high-speed solar wind stream due to a coronal hole following a coronal mass ejection. We separate the magnetic disturbance associated to the ionospheric disturbance dynamo (Ddyn) from the magnetic disturbance associated to the prompt penetration of magnetospheric electric field (DP2). This event exhibits different responses of ionospheric disturbance dynamo in the different longitude sectors (European-African, Asian, and American). The strongest effect is observed in the European-African sector. The Ddyn disturbance reduces the amplitude of the daytime H component at low latitudes during four consecutive days in agreement with the Blanc and Richmond's model of ionospheric disturbance dynamo. The amplitude of Ddyn decreased with time during the 4 days. We discuss its diverse worldwide effects. The observed signature of magnetic disturbance process in specific longitude sector is strongly dependent on which Earth's side faces the magnetic storms (i.e., there is a different response depending on which longitude sector is at noon when the SSC hits). Finally, we determined an average period of 22 h for Ddyn using wavelet analysis. (10.1002/2013JA019510)
    DOI : 10.1002/2013JA019510
  • The double well mass filter
    • Gueroult R
    • Fisch Nathaniel J.
    • Rax Jean-Marcel
    Physics of Plasmas, American Institute of Physics, 2014, 21 (2), pp.020701. Various mass filter concepts based on rotating plasmas have been suggested with the specific purpose of nuclear waste remediation. We report on a new rotating mass filter combining radial separation with axial extraction. The radial separation of the masses is the result of a “double-well” in effective radial potential in rotating plasma with a sheared rotation profile. (10.1063/1.4864325)
    DOI : 10.1063/1.4864325
  • Surface deactivation of vibrationally excited N<SUB>2</SUB> studied using infrared titration combined with quantum cascade laser absorption spectroscopy
    • Marinov Daniil
    • Lopatik D.
    • Guaitella Olivier
    • Ionikh Y.
    • Röpcke J.
    • Rousseau Antoine
    Journal of Physics D: Applied Physics, IOP Publishing, 2014, 47 (1), pp.015203. The wall de-excitation probability of vibrationally excited nitrogen molecules was determined using infrared (IR) titration with CO, CO 2 and N 2 O. Gas mixtures of N 2 with 0.05?0.5% of CO (CO 2 or N 2 O) were excited by a pulsed dc discharge at p = 133 Pa in a cylindrical discharge tube. During the afterglow, the vibrational relaxation of titrating molecules was monitored in situ with quantum cascade laser absorption spectroscopy. The value of was deduced from measured vibrational relaxation times using a model of vibrational kinetics in N 2 . It was found that adsorption of IR tracers on the surface may increase the value of by a factor up to two, depending on the molecule and the surface material. It was demonstrated that N 2 O is the most inert and reliable tracer and it was used for the determination of on silica, Pyrex, TiO 2 , Al 2 O 3 and anodized aluminum. Pretreatment of the silica surface by low-pressure plasma was found to have a strong effect on the vibrational de-excitation. Values of measured after O 2 , Ar and N 2 plasma pretreatment of the same silica discharge tube were 5.7 × 10 ?4 , 8.2 × 10 ?4 and 11 × 10 ?4 , respectively. This study clearly demonstrates that the presence of adsorbed atoms and molecules on the surface may significantly alter the value of . (10.1088/0022-3727/47/1/015203)
    DOI : 10.1088/0022-3727/47/1/015203
  • Study of gas heating mechanisms in millisecond pulsed discharges and afterglows in air at low pressures
    • Pintassilgo C.D.
    • Guerra V.
    • Guaitella Olivier
    • Rousseau Antoine
    Plasma Sources Science and Technology, IOP Publishing, 2014, 23, pp.025006. A self-consistent model is developed to study the temporal variation of the gas temperature in millisecond single dc pulsed discharges and their afterglows in air-like mixtures (N220%O2) at low pressures. The model is based on the solutions to the time-dependent gas thermal balance equation, under the assumption of a parabolic gas temperature profile across the discharge tube, coupled to the electron, vibrational and chemical kinetics. Modelling results provide a satisfactory explanation for recently published time-resolved experimental data for the gas temperature in a 5 ms pulsed air plasma with a current of 150mA and the corresponding afterglow at a pressure of 133 Pa (1 Torr). It is shown that the main heating mechanisms during the first millisecond of the pulse come predominantly from O2 dissociation by electron impact through the pre-dissociative excited state O2(B 3&#8722; u ) and the quenching of nitrogen electronically excited states N2(A 3 u , B 3 g, a 1&#8722; u , a 1 g, w 1u) by O2, agreeing with other studies on fast gas heating in air plasmas. As the pulse duration increases, other gas heating sources become important, namely VT N2O energy exchanges, recombination of oxygen atoms at the wall, N2(A) quenching by O(3P) and reaction N(4S) NO(X) &#8594; N2(X, v &#8764;3) O, contributing altogether to an additional smooth increase in the gas temperature until the end of the pulse. In the first instants of the early afterglow, the gas temperature decreases very rapidly as a consequence of the minor role played by electronic collisions and due to a fast decay of N2 electronic states. For afterglow times up to 10 ms, the gas temperature continues to decrease, following the time-dependent kinetics of [N2(X,v)], [N(4S)], [O(3P)] and [NO(X)]. Sensitivity of the model to different input parameters such as thermal accommodation coefficient and probabilities for atomic recombination at the wall are reported. (10.1088/0963-0252/23/2/025006)
    DOI : 10.1088/0963-0252/23/2/025006
  • Ambipolar and non-ambipolar diffusion in an rf plasma source containing a magnetic filter
    • Lafleur Trevor
    • Aanesland Ane
    Physics of Plasmas, American Institute of Physics, 2014, 21, pp.063510. By placing a magnetic filter across a rectangular plasma source (closed at one end with a ceramic plate and an rf antenna, and terminated at the opposite end by a grounded grid), we experimentally investigate the effect of conducting and insulating source walls on the nature of the plasma diffusion phenomena. The use of a magnetic filter creates a unique plasma, characterized by a high upstream electron temperature (Teu&#8764;5 eV) near the rf antenna and a low downstream electron temperature (Ted&#8764;1 eV) near the grid, which more clearly demonstrates the role of the source wall materials. For conducting walls a net ion current to ground is measured on the grid, and the plasma potential is determined by a mean electron temperature within the source. For insulating walls the plasma potential is determined by the downstream electron temperature (i.e., Vp&#8764;5.2Ted in argon), and the net current to the grid is exactly zero. Furthermore, by inserting a small additional upstream conductor (that can be made floating or grounded through an external circuit switch), we demonstrate that the plasma potential can be controlled and set to a low (Vp&#8764;5.2Ted), or high (Vp&#8764;5.2Teu) value. (10.1063/1.4885109)
    DOI : 10.1063/1.4885109
  • Electron heating in capacitively coupled plasmas revisited
    • Lafleur Trevor
    • Chabert Pascal
    • Booth Jean-Paul
    Plasma Sources Science and Technology, IOP Publishing, 2014, 23 (3), pp.035010. We revisit the problem of electron heating in capacitively coupled plasmas (CCPs), and propose a method for quantifying the level of collisionless and collisional heating in plasma simulations. The proposed procedure, based on the electron mechanical energy conservation equation, is demonstrated with particle-in-cell simulations of a number of single and multi-frequency CCPs operated in regimes of research and industrial interest. In almost all cases tested, the total electron heating is comprised of collisional (ohmic) and pressure heating parts. This latter collisionless component is in qualitative agreement with the mechanism of electron heating predicted from the recent re-evaluation of theoretical models. Finally, in very electrically asymmetric plasmas produced in multi-frequency discharges, we observe an additional collisionless heating mechanism associated with electron inertia. (10.1088/0963-0252/23/3/035010)
    DOI : 10.1088/0963-0252/23/3/035010
  • A nanosecond surface dieletric barrier discharge in air at high pressure and different polarities of applied pulses. Transition to filamentary mode
    • Stepanyan S.A.
    • Starikovskiy a Yu
    • Popov N.A.
    • Starikovskaia Svetlana
    Plasma Sources Science and Technology, IOP Publishing, 2014, 23 (4), pp.045003. The development of a nanosecond surface dielectric barrier discharge in air at pressures 16 bar is studied. At atmospheric pressure, the discharge develops as a set of streamers starting synchronously from the high-voltage electrode and propagating along the dielectric layer. Streamers cover the dielectric surface creating a 'quasi-uniform' plasma layer. At high pressures and high voltage amplitudes on the cathode, filamentation of the discharge is observed a few nanoseconds after the discharge starts. Parameters of the observed 'streamers-to-filaments' transition are measured; physics of transition is discussed on the basis of theoretical estimates and numerical modeling. Ionization-heating instability on the boundary of the cathode layer is suggested as a mechanism of filamentation. (10.1088/0963-0252/23/4/045003)
    DOI : 10.1088/0963-0252/23/4/045003