M. R. Talukder

Probe diagnostics of high pressure microwave discharge in helium

A method for the determination of electron temperature and plasma density in high pressure helium plasmas is established using numerical results of the continuum probe model by Cohen [Phys. Fluids 6, 1492 (1963)]. Simple algebraic functions are derived to approximate the probe characteristics of high pressure plasmas calculated by Cohen and are applied to use iterative procedures for the determination of plasma parameters. The proposed fitting technique has allowed one to obtain reasonable plasma parameters even for the probe characteristics strongly affected by large secondary electron emission currents from the probe. Fitting of the ion saturation current may possibly be used to estimate the ion temperature, provided that the electron temperature and plasma density are known. Finally high pressure helium microwave discharges have been produced by moderate microwave power of 400 W and investigated by the present method.

An extended empirical formula for inner-shell ionization of atoms

An extension of the analytical model of Campos et al (2007 J. Phys. B: At. Mol. Opt. Phys. 40 3835) is proposed to evaluate electron impact single inner-shell ionization cross sections up to the M-shell. The new model includes ionic and relativistic factors in its structure and describes neatly the K-shell ionization cross section data up to 2 GeV, and L- and M-shell ionization data up to 300 MeV. Comparison is also made with other theoretical calculations.

Development of asymmetric double probe formula and its application for collisional plasmas

The ratio of the electron and ion saturation currents in single probe I-V characteristics for microwave-sustained plasma jets at atmospheric pressure are found to be much smaller than the value expected from the standard high-pressure single probe theory providing an over estimation of electron temperatures. By assuming that the single probe characteristic behaves as an asymmetric double probe when the electron to ion saturation current ratio is reduced, the whole characteristics may be fitted and significantly lower electron temperatures may be derived. In this study, asymmetric double probe theory for collisional plasmas is developed and employed to microwave-sustained helium plasma jets in order to estimate the plasma parameters (electron temperature and plasma density) at atmospheric pressure avoiding the overestimation of electron temperature.

Ion acoustic shock and solitary waves in highly relativistic plasmas with nonextensive electrons and positrons

The Korteweg-de Vries Burgers (KdVB)-like equation is derived to study the characteristics of nonlinear propagation of ion acoustic solitions in a highly relativistic plasma containing relativistic ions and nonextensive distribution of electrons and positrons using the well known reductive perturbation technique. The KdVB-like equation is solved employing the Bernoullis equation method taking unperturbed positron to electron concentration ratio, electron to positron temperature ratio, strength of nonextensivity, ion kinematic viscosity, and highly relativistic streaming factor. It is found that these parameters significantly modify the structures of the solitonic excitation. The ion acoustic shock profiles are observed due to the influence of ion kinematic viscosity. In the absence of dissipative term to the KdVB equation, compressive and rarefactive solitons are observed in case of superthermality, but only compressive solitons are found for the case of subthermality.

Some New Electrostatic Potential Functions Used to Analyze the Ion-Acoustic Waves in a Thomas Fermi Plasma with Degenerate Electrons

The purpose of this paper is to implement a proposed advanced exp(−φ(ξ))-expansion method to find new electrostatic potential functions that describe the nonlinear propagation of ion-acoustic waves in an ideal plasma with degenerate electrons. The KdV equation is obtained for investigating the ion-acoustic waves in such plasmas by using the reductive perturbation method. The exact traveling wave solutions are established for the KdV equation in the form of hyperbolic, trigonometric, exponential, and rational functions with some free parameters. The influence of the electrostatic nonlinear propagation of ion-acoustic waves has been investigated by considering only hyperbolic function solutions of this equation and different values of the ion to Fermi electrons temperature ratio. The results reveal that the proposed expansion method is a standard, effective, and easily applicable mathematical tool with the aid of computer algebra for solving nonlinear evolution equations arising in plasma physics. The obtained new solutions can be helpful in a proper understanding of the features of small but finite amplitude localized electrostatic ion-acoustic solitary waves for astrophysical issues.

Determination of metastable atom concentration by use of electrostatic probe technique

Abstract A method for determination of the metastable atom concentration in high pressure (>100 Torr) high density (> 1012cm23); helium plasma from current–voltage characteristics of a single electrostatic probe is described. It is shown, that the flux of metastable atoms to the probe is controlled by ion sheath thickness and consequently by probe bias. The method for calculation of metastables concentration from the negative part of the current–voltage probe characteristics is proposed. The metastables concentrations measured in pulsed microwave discharge are in agreement with values calculated from the metastable balance equation.

New analytical solutions for propagation of small but finite amplitude ion-acoustic waves in a dense plasma

Abstract The theoretical and numerical studies have been investigated on the nonlinear propagation of electrostatic ion-acoustic waves (IAWs) in an un-magnetized Thomas–Fermi plasma system consisting of electron, positrons, and positive ions for both of ultra-relativistic and non-relativistic degenerate electrons. Korteweg-de Vries (K-dV) equation is derived from the model equations by using the well-known reductive perturbation method. This equation is solved by employing the generalized Riccati equation mapping method. The hyperbolic functions type solutions to the K-dV equation are only considered for describing the effect of plasma parameters on the propagation of electrostatic IAWs for both of ultra-relativistic and non-relativistic degenerate electrons. The obtained results may be helpful in proper understanding the features of small but finite amplitude localized IAWs in degenerate plasmas and provide the mathematical foundation in plasma physics.

Effects of trapped electrons on the oblique propagation of ion acoustic solitary waves in electron-positron-ion plasmas

The characteristics of the nonlinear oblique propagation of ion acoustic solitary waves in unmagnetized plasmas consisting of Boltzmann positrons, trapped electrons and ions are investigated. The modified Kadomtsev-Petviashivili ( mKP) equation is derived employing the reductive perturbation technique. The parametric effects on phase velocity, Sagdeev potential, amplitude and width of solitons, and electrostatic ion acoustic solitary structures are graphically presented with the relevant physical explanations. This study may be useful for the better understanding of physical phenomena concerned in plasmas in which the effects of trapped electrons control the dynamics of wave.

Characterization of atmospheric pressure H2O/O2 gliding arc plasma for the production of OH and O radicals

Atmospheric pressure H2O/O2 gliding arc plasma is generated by a 88 Hz, 6 kV AC power supply. The properties of the produced plasma are investigated by optical emission spectroscopy. The relative intensity, rotational, vibrational, excitation temperatures and electron density are studied as a function of applied voltage, electrode spacing, and oxygen flow rate. The rotational and vibrational temperatures are determined simulating the OH(A2Σ+(v″=0)→X2Π(v′=0)) bands with the aid of LIFBASE simulation software. The excitation temperature is obtained from the CuI transition taking non-thermal equilibrium condition into account employing intensity ratio method. The electron density is approximated from the  Hα Stark broadening using the Voigt profile fitting method. It is observed that the rotational and vibrational temperatures decrease with increasing electrode spacing and O2 flow rate, but increase with the applied voltage. The excitation temperature is found to increase with increasing applied voltage and ...

Ion acoustic shock and periodic waves through Burgers equation in weakly and highly relativistic plasmas with nonextensivity

A comparative study is carried out for the nonlinear propagation of ion acoustic shock waves both for the weakly and highly relativistic plasmas consisting of relativistic ions and q-distributed electrons and positions. The Burgers equation is derived to reveal the physical phenomena using the well known reductive perturbation technique. The integration of the Burgers equation is performed by the method. The effects of positron concentration, ion–electron temperature ratio, electron–positron temperature ratio, ion viscosity coefficient, relativistic streaming factor and the strength of the electron and positron nonextensivity on the nonlinear propagation of ion acoustic shock and periodic waves are presented graphically and the relevant physical explanations are provided.