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
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(01/16/02)
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