An Investigation of the Energy Exchange Processes in Nonequilibrium Plasmas.

摘要

This report describes an investigation of the energy exchange processes in nonequilibrium plasmas. The primary objective of the research was to investigate the influence of parameters such as the electron temperature and density, and the presence of walls and electromagnetic fields, on quantities such as the degree of ionization, electrical conductivity, and energy storage in excited atomic states. The research was primarily experimental. The plasmas were generated in solenoidal-coil type RF discharge tubes driven at a frequency of 4 mc. Experiments were carried out over the pressure range of 0.03 Torr to 10 Torr and at specific power levels of about 0.1 to 10 watts/cc using helium as a test gas. Optical spectroscopy was the primary diagnostic tool. Langmuir and magnetic probe, microwave, and calorimetric measurements were also made.