ECLIPSE/Collaborative Proposal: Studying Microwave-Plasma Interactions at Solid Interfaces Using Microwave Microstrip Architectures

本计画探讨微波辐射对由电子、离子及中性粒子组成的低温电浆的影响。低温等离子体通常用于从制造到医学到清洁能源技术的领域，并且期望能够基于手头的应用的要求实时地修改等离子体。 改变等离子体条件的一种有前途的方法是通过使用微波能量。 微波场通常用于等离子体科学中的诊断测量，并作为产生和维持等离子体的一种手段。 然而，对于如何使用微波来增强和修改由其他手段产生的等离子体，人们知之甚少。 在这个项目中，高度集中的微波辐射的影响将进行研究，以发展微波耦合到等离子体的目的是提供一种可预测地改变等离子体条件的手段，以提高理解。 这项工作是由纽约州立大学布法罗分校和德克萨斯理工大学合作的ECosystem for Leading Innovation in Plasma Science and Engineering（ECLIPSE）项目支持的，该项目将设计和开发一套针对不同微波频率的微波带状线和微带结构，并专门适应不同等离子体类型中的等离子体条件。 将通过实时电阻抗和矢量网络测量、光发射光谱法、可调谐二极管激光吸收光谱法和汤姆逊散射测量研究聚焦微波场与固体界面附近的激光诱导等离子体和减压辉光放电的相互作用。 这些测量将用于计算基本参数，如电子数密度和温度，玻尔兹曼平衡激发温度，电离温度，旋转温度和振动温度。 该项目的一个主要重点将是确定与微波的相互作用如何改变这些基本等离子体参数，从而了解微波如何扰动等离子体中的不同能量路径。 拟议工作的成果将包括对等离子体中微波耦合的更好理解。 这一点可以被利用，以创造优化微波/等离子体相互作用的改进方法，这将导致新的能源效率系统和技术的发展。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并已被认为是值得通过使用基金会的智力价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估的支持。

This project explores the effect of microwave radiation on low temperature plasmas composed of electrons, ions, and neutral particles. Low temperature plasmas are routinely used in fields from manufacturing to medicine to clean energy technology, and it is desirable to be able to modify a plasma in real-time based on the requirements of the application at hand. A promising method of changing plasma conditions is through the use of microwave energy. Microwave fields are often used in plasma science for diagnostic measurement and as a means of creating and sustaining plasmas. However, relatively little is known as to how microwaves can be used to augment and modify plasmas created by other means. In this project, the effect of highly-focused microwave radiation will be studied in order to develop an improved understanding of microwave coupling into plasmas with the goal of providing a means of predictably changing plasma conditions. This work is supported through the ECosystem for Leading Innovation in Plasma Science and Engineering (ECLIPSE) program as a collaboration between the State University of New York at Buffalo and Texas Tech University.This project will design and develop a set of microwave stripline and microstrip structures aimed at different microwave frequencies and adapted specifically to the plasma conditions found within different plasma types. The interaction of focused microwave fields with laser induced plasmas and reduced-pressure glow discharges in the proximity of solid interfaces will be studied by real-time electrical impedance and vector network measurements, optical emission spectrometry, tunable diode laser absorption spectroscopy, and Thomson scattering measurements. These measurements will be used to calculate fundamental parameters, such as electron number density and temperature, Boltzmann equilibria excitation temperatures, ionization temperatures, rotational temperatures, and vibrational temperatures. A major focus of the project will be to determine how interactions with microwaves alter these fundamental plasma parameters, and thereby to understand how microwaves perturb the different energy pathways in the plasma. The outcomes of the proposed work will include an improved understanding of microwave coupling in plasmas. This can be exploited in order to create improved means of optimizing microwave/plasma interactions that will lead to the development of new energy efficient systems and technologies.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.