No abstract

No abstract

No abstract

A non-uniform voltage distribution across a driven electrode results in inhomogeneous film deposition in large-area, very high-frequency (VHF) plasma reactors. Here we perform experimental and numerical studies on the voltage distribution across the electrode. Two kinds of dedicated vacuum chambers are prepared for one-and two-dimensional observations of the voltage and the plasma distributions. A comparison between the measured voltage and the plasma distribution clearly shows a good agreement between the two. In principle the plasma distribution is governed by the standing wave of the voltage on the driven electrode for an at least one-dimensional electrode. A numerical model based on transmission-line modelling is presented for calculating the voltage distribution. The influence of plasma conditions such as the electron density and the sheath length included in the model on the voltage distribution is investigated through comparison of the model predictions with the experimental results. The correlation between the plasma conditions and the propagation constant of the model suggests that the sheath length dominates the wavelength; in contrast, the electron density dominates the decay of the wave propagation. Using the parameters of the plasma conditions estimated from the experimental results, the model can predict the voltage distribution across a ladder electrode of size 45 cm × 55 cm in a large-area VHF plasma reactor.

Industrial applications of laser diagnostics have been demonstrated for the purpose of clarifying combustor chemical reaction mechanisms, as well as temperature and harmful substance monitoring in large-scale burners and commercial plant exhaust ducts, and the combustion control of commercial plants. Laser induced fluorescence (LIF), laser induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS), and tunable diode laser absorption spectroscopy (TDLAS) have accordingly been applied in various industrial fields. In this study, temperature and species concentration were measured inside gas turbine combustors, a diesel engine, and a large-scale industrial burner using LIF. This technique introduces a new tool with respect to practical combustors for the analysis of NO formation characteristics, turbulent flame front structure, and differences between standard and improved combustors. On-line monitoring of trace elements to the ppb level was also successfully demonstrated using LIBS. The automated LIBS unit was found to be capable of monitoring trace element concentration fluctuations at ppb levels with a 1 min detection time under actual plant conditions. In addition, real-time measurement of O2 and CO concentrations in a commercial incinerator furnace was performed using TDLAS to improve the combustion control. By using the multiple-point laser measurement results to control secondary air allocation, higher secondary combustion efficiency was achieved, and CO concentration (considered to be a substitute indicator for dioxins) was reduced from 11.9 to 8.0 ppm.