Discharges and Plasmas

Representative Projects

• Development of Efficient, High-Intensity Ultraviolet Lamps: A major electronics technology company is developing high efficiency, high-intensity lamps that could be useful for many applications such as the remediation of groundwater contamination or the processing of semiconductor devices. The Molecular Physics Laboratory is helping in the development of the lamp as well as making measurements of the spectroscopic properties and efficiencies of the prototype lamps.

• Penning Ionization of Cesium by Photoexcited Mercury as a Source of High Density Plasma: The Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR) is supporting investigations of the Penning ionization of cesium by photoexcited mercury. This work may lead to applications ranging from stealth materials to improved plasma materials processing methods. A significant portion of this work currently involves modeling the kinetics of the photoexcited plasma. Computer models of the ionization, recombination, and radiation transport relevant to this problem have been constructed.

• Radio-Frequency-, Microwave-, and Electron-Beam-Generated Plasmas: Several projects have investigated radio-frequency-(rf), microwave-, and electron-beam-generated plasmas. We have studied various aspects of these discharges including ionization and recombination kinetics. The Air Force Phillips Lab, LLNL, and LANL have supported research on the microwave breakdown of low-pressure air which is relevant to studies of artificial ionospheric modification. Radio-frequency discharges, which are ubiquitous in industrial plasma processing systems, have been studied in the context of ionization and recombination processes, and in studies of the electron energy distribution functions. Finally, the DOE, ARPA and other DOD agencies have supported research in various aspects of electron-beam-generated plasmas in air and rare gases. Ionization of air by intense relativistic electron beams is relevant to directed energy applications, and the formation of excimer molecules in high-pressure rare gases irradiated by intense electron beams was studied for high-power laser development programs.

• Diagnostics of Diamond Film Deposition Plasmas
• Toxic Metal Detection in Exhaust Streams (laser spark spectroscopy)
• Nonlinear Laser Diagnostics of Combustion and Plasma Processes
• Calculations of Fine-Structure Effects in O⁺ - O Collisions

Points of Contact

• Donald J. Eckstrom, E-mail: <dje@mplvax.sri.com>
• David L. Huestis (E-mail) (CV) (Publications)

Related Web Pages

• Atmospheric Chemistry and Space Physics
• Electronic and Atomic Collisions
• Lasers and Laser Systems
• Sensors, Monitors, Diagnostics, and Analytical Methodologies

• Environmental Technology Program (ETP)
• SRI International Home Page

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