A non-thermal plasma source ('plasma needle') generated under atmospheric pressure by means of radio-frequency excitation has been characterized. Plasma appears as a small (sub-mm) glow at the tip of a metal pin. It operates in helium, argon, nitrogen and mixtures of He with air. Electrical measurements show that plasma needle operates at relatively low voltages (200-500 V peak-to-peak) and the power consumption ranges from tens of milliwatts to at most a few watts. Electron-excitation, vibrational and rotational temperatures have been determined using optical emission spectroscopy. Excitation and vibration temperatures are close to each other, in the range 0.2-0.3 eV, rotational gas temperature is at most a few hundred K. At lowest power input the source has the highest excitation temperature while the gas remains at room temperature. We have demonstrated the non-aggressive nature of the plasma: it can be applied on organic materials, also in watery environment, without causing thermal/electric damage to the surface. Plasma needle will be used in the study of plasma interactions with living cells and tissues. At later stages, this research aims at performing fine, high-precision plasma surgery, like removal of (cancer) cells or cleaning of dental cavities.

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The initial step of particulate growth in a dust forming low pressure radio-frequency discharge has been studied in situ by laser induced particle explosive evaporation (LIPEE). With respect to the conventional light scattering, this method has been found much more efficient to observe small nanometer size particles, especially in the case of UV excimer laser radiation. Experimental results interpreted by a simple model of laser-particle interaction show that the intensity of LIPEE continuum emission depends on the particle radius roughly as r4. This interaction is essentially different from Rayleigh scattering, as the latter varies as r6. A study of time evolution of powder formation by LIPEE emission reveals the initial formation of nanometer size crystallites and the coalescence process leading to larger scale particles. It could be demonstrated that the critical step of dust formation is the initial clustering process leading to nanometer scale crystallites.

Polymerization reactions in radio frequency fluorocarbon plasmas of CF 4 , C 2 F 6 , and C 4 F 8 have been studied by electron attachment mass spectrometry ͑EAMS͒. In these plasmas polymerization occurs readily and molecules containing up to ten carbon atoms ͑the mass limit of the mass spectrometer͒ have been found. The densities of large polymers increase with increasing size of the parent gas. In a fluorine-rich environment like a CF 4 plasma the detected polymers are mainly fully saturated with F ͑C n F 2nϩ2 ). As the amount of fluorine in the parent gas decreases, also the degree of saturation of the polymers decreases, which is clearly seen in C 2 F 6 and C 4 F 8 plasmas. The unsaturated polymers are more reactive, so they can stick more easily to surfaces and possibly create thick polymer films, which are often observed after discharge operation. The polymerization rate depends on the chemical activity of the plasma, which can be easily enhanced by increasing the radio frequency power. The positive ions, extracted from the plasma, are generally somewhat smaller than the neutral polymers and their fluorine content is lower. This is probably due to dissociation of neutrals during their ionization by plasma electrons and to ion collisions in the sheath region. Finally, we have shown that EAMS has considerable advantages in the study of electronegative plasmas and polymerization processes in comparison with traditional mass spectrometry. Unlike the traditional mass spectrometry, employing ionization by high energy electrons, EAMS much better preserves the structure of high polymers, allowing us to detect them as large negative ions.

A pin–pin electrode geometry was used to study the velocities of streamers propagating over a flat dielectric surface and in gas close to the dielectric. The experiments were done in an argon atmosphere, at pressures from 0.1 to 1 bar, with repetitive voltage pulses. The dielectric surface played a noticeable role in discharge ignition and propagation. The average speed of the discharge decreased with higher pressure and lower voltage pulse rise rate. It was higher when the conductive channel between the electrodes was formed over the dielectric, rather than through the gas. Space resolved measurements revealed an increase in velocity of the discharge as it travelled towards the grounded electrode.