Manuel Ángel González

Characterization of a direct DC-excited discharge in water by optical emission spectroscopy

Dc-excited discharges generated in water at the tip of a tungsten wire which is located at the orifice of a quartz capillary are investigated by time-averaged optical emission spectroscopy.Two distinctive discharge modes are observed. For small conductivities of the liquid the discharge is a streamer-like discharge in the liquid itself (liquid mode). For conductivities above typically 45 µS cm−1 a large vapour bubble is formed and a streamer discharge in this vapour bubble is observed (bubble mode).Plasma temperatures and electron densities are investigated for both modes. The gas temperature is estimated from the rotational temperature of N2(C–B) and is 1600 ± 200 K for the bubble mode and 1900 ± 200 K for the liquid mode. The rotational temperature of OH(A–X) is up to 2 times larger and cannot be used as an estimate for the gas temperature. The rotational population distribution of OH(A), ν = 0 is also non-Boltzmann with a large overpopulation of high rotational states. This discrepancy in rotational temperatures is discussed in detail.Electron densities are obtained from the Stark broadening of the hydrogen Balmer beta line. The electron densities in the liquid mode are of the order of 1021 m−3. In the bubble mode electron densities are significantly smaller: (3–4) × 1020 m−3. These values are compared with the Stark broadening of the hydrogen alpha and gamma lines and with electron densities obtained from current density measurements. The chemical reactivities of the bubble and liquid modes are compared by means of the hydrogen peroxide production rate.

Optical emission spectroscopy as a diagnostic for plasmas in liquids: opportunities and pitfalls

In this contribution, optical emission spectroscopy is evaluated and thoroughly analysed as a diagnostic to characterize plasmas in and in contact with liquids. One of the specific properties of plasmas in and in contact with liquids is the strong emission of OH(A?X) and of hydrogen lines. As an example a 600?ns pulsed dc excited discharge in Ar, He and O2 bubbles in water is investigated by time resolved optical emission spectroscopy. It is shown that the production processes of excited species and the plasma kinetics strongly influence the emission spectrum. This complicates the interpretation of the spectra but provides the opportunity to derive production mechanisms from the time resolved emission. The importance of recombination processes compared with direct electron excitation processes in the production of excited states of the water fragments in plasmas with high electron densities is shown. The OH(A?X) emission spectrum illustrates that even in these highly collisional atmospheric pressure discharges the rotational population distribution deviates from equilibrium. A two-temperature fit of the OH rotational population distribution leads to realistic gas temperatures for the temperature parameter corresponding to small rotational numbers. The H? and H? lines are fitted with two component profiles corresponding to two different electron densities. The obtained electron density is in the range 1021?1023?m?3. Possible complications in the interpretation of obtained temperatures and electron densities are discussed.

Electron density measurement in atmospheric pressure plasma jets: Stark broadening of hydrogenated and non-hydrogenated lines

Electron density is one of the key parameters in the physics of a gas discharge. In this contribution the application of the Stark broadening method to determine the electron density in low temperature atmospheric pressure plasma jets is discussed. An overview of the available theoretical Stark broadening calculations of hydrogenated and non-hydrogenated atomic lines is presented. The difficulty in the evaluation of the fine structure splitting of lines, which is important at low electron density, is analysed and recommendations on the applicability of the method for low ionization degree plasmas are given. Different emission line broadening mechanisms under atmospheric pressure conditions are discussed and an experimental line profile fitting procedure for the determination of the Stark broadening contribution is suggested. Available experimental data is carefully analysed for the Stark broadening of lines in plasma jets excited over a wide range of frequencies from dc to MW and pulsed mode. Finally, recommendations are given concerning the application of the Stark broadening technique for the estimation of the electron density under typical conditions of plasma jets.

A program for the evaluation of electron number density from experimental hydrogen balmer beta line profiles

Abstract A program for the determination of plasma electron number density, 1020≤(Ne)≤1023 m−3, from the comparison of experimental and theoretical hydrogen Balmer beta (Hβ) line profiles is described in detail. Three theoretical data sets (one set is calculated within the framework of this paper) are included with the program and may be selected as a users choice. Apart from Ne determination from the comparison of the whole experimental and theoretical profiles, this program offers a fast estimation of Ne from the halfwidth of the experimental line shape. If necessary, certain parts of the experimental profile may be neglected in the procedure of comparison with theory. This possibility enables the use of noisy line shape recordings for Ne determination. The Hβ asymmetry study may be carried out by generating the difference between experimental and best-fitted theoretical line profiles.

Molecular dynamics simulation for modelling plasma spectroscopy

The ion-electron coupling properties for an ion impurity in an electron gas and for a two-component plasma are carried out on the basis of a regularized electron-ion potential removing the short-range Coulomb divergence. This work is largely motivated by the study of radiator dipole relaxation in plasmas which makes a real link between models and experiments. Current radiative property models for plasmas include single electron collisions neglecting charge-charge correlations within the classical quasi-particle approach commonly used in this field. The dipole relaxation simulation based on electron-ion molecular dynamics proposed here will provide a means to benchmark and improve model developments. Benefiting from a detailed study of a single ion embedded in an electron plasma, the challenging two-component ion-electron molecular dynamics simulations are proved accurate. They open new possibilities of obtaining reference lineshape data.

Charge-charge coupling effects on dipole emitter relaxation within a classical electron-ion plasma description

Studies of charge-charge (ion-ion, ion-electron, and electron-electron) coupling properties for ion impurities in an electron gas are carried out on the basis of a regularized electron-ion potential without short-range Coulomb divergence. This work is motivated, in part, by questions arising from recent spectroscopic measurements revealing discrepancies with present-day theoretical descriptions. Many of the current radiative property models for plasmas include only single electron-emitter collisions and neglect some or all charge-charge interactions. A molecular-dynamics simulation of dipole relaxation is proposed here to allow proper account of many electron-emitter interactions and all charge-charge couplings. As illustrations, molecular-dynamics simulations are reported for the cases of a single ion embedded in an electron plasma and for a two-component ion-electron plasma. Charge-charge coupling effects are discussed for hydrogen-like Balmer alpha lines at weak coupling conditions.

Smartphones as experimental tools to measure acoustical and mechanical properties of vibrating rods

Modern smartphones have calculation and sensor capabilities that make them suitable for use as versatile and reliable measurement devices in simple teaching experiments. In this work a smartphone is used, together with low cost materials, in an experiment to measure the frequencies emitted by vibrating rods of different materials, shapes and lengths. The results obtained with the smartphone have been compared with theoretical calculations and the agreement is good. Alternatively, physics students can perform the experiment described here and use their results to determine the dependencies of the obtained frequencies on the rod characteristics. In this way they will also practice research methods that they will probably use in their professional life.

Analysis of Stark line profiles for non-equilibrium plasma diagnosis

Computer simulations permit one to calculate Stark broadened profiles for non-equilibrium plasma conditions. In this work, the dependences of some line parameters on the unbalance between electrons and ions temperatures in the plasma are shown. This method can be applied in some cases to analyze experimental conditions by comparing experimental and simulated full line profiles.

Stark broadening tables for the helium I 492.2 line - Application to weakly coupled plasma diagnostics

Context. We studied the Stark broadening of the He I 492.2 nm line, which is sometimes used for plasma diagnostics or to obtain information on different stellar parameters. Aims. The final aim of this study is to obtain tables of lines shapes as well as the relationships between different line parameters and the plasma electron density, temperature, or composition. The tables of profiles and the mathematical expressions obtained will be used in plasma diagnostics. Methods. We performed computer simulations and used a physical model that considers a weakly coupled plasma. Our computer simulations naturally take into account ion dynamical effects, which has permitted us to study the influence on the line shapes of imbalances in the plasma caused by different electron and gas temperatures. Results. Our computer simulations considered electron densities between 10 19 and 10 24 m −3 , electron temperatures between 5000 and 40 000 K, and plasmas of different compositions. The dependences obtained in the simulations for the line width, the ratio of intensities between the allowed and the forbidden components, or the distances between those components’ peaks on the plasma conditions are shown and compared with experimental data. Numerical expressions for the line width and for the peak distances against the electron density were obtained from the simulation results and can be applied to obtain the electron density from experimental results. Full line profile tables are also supplied for use in plasma diagnostics.

Plasma diagnostics using the He I 447.1 nm line at high and low densities

The broadening of the He I 447.1 nm line and its forbidden components in plasmas is studied using computer simulation techniques and the results are compared with our and other experiments. In these calculations wide ranges of electron densities and temperatures are considered. Experimental measurements are performed with a high electron density pulsed discharge and with a low electron density microwave torch at atmospheric pressure. Both calculations and experimental measurements are extended from previous works towards low electron densities in order to study the accuracy of plasma diagnostics using this line in ranges of interest in different practical applications. The calculation results are compared with experimental profiles registered in plasmas diagnosed using independent techniques. The obtained agreement justifies the use of these line parameters for plasma diagnostics. The influence of self-absorption on line parameters is also analysed. It is shown that the separation between the peaks of the allowed and forbidden components exhibits a clear dependence upon plasma electron density free of self-absorption influence. This allows the peak separation to be used as a good parameter for plasma diagnostics. From the simulation results, a simple fitting formula is applied that permits obtaining the electron number density plasma diagnostics in the range 5 × 1022–7 × 1023 m−3. At lower densities the fitting of simulated to experimental full profiles is a reliable method for Ne determination.