Effect of He and Ar addition on N2 glow discharge characteristics and plasma diagnostics

Abstract EN

This paper reports the effect of inert gas mixing on the N2 glow discharge characteristics and plasma parameters.

The discharge current-voltage (I-V) characteristic curves of the discharge and Paschen’s curves were measured at different gas mixture percentage.

Langmuir probe is used for determination of electron energy distribution functions, electron temperature, plasma potential, ion density and electron density.

The results demonstrate that the ampere -volt characteristics were different in (N2-He) and (N2-Ar) mixtures compared to pure nitrogen.

The breakdown voltage increases by increasing He percentage in (N2-He) gas mixture .

Meanwhile it decreases by increasing Ar percentage in (N2-Ar) gas mixture.

The electron temperature and density can be either raised or reduced effectively by mixing helium or argon in a nitrogen discharge.

The plasma potential follows the same trend as the electron temperature.

The electron energy distribution function (EEDF) has two groups of electrons and can be either shifted effectively to low or high energy values by mixing helium or argon in a nitrogen discharge.